Recalled ground beef in GA, FL, Carolinas poses ‘high’ health risk, USDA says
Over 38,000 pounds of ground beef products distributed in the U.S. from Canada have been recalled due to an import reinspection error, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The boneless beef head items from JBS Food Canada ULC didn’t undergo a required import reinspection but were shipped across the border anyway, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced July 30.
Officials said the raw and frozen meat was supplied to the Miami-based Balter Meat Company on July 13 and processed into ground beef. Packages of ground beef were then distributed across several states including Georgia, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina, according to the agency.
“The problem was discovered when FSIS determined through routine surveillance that the product had by-passed FSIS import reinspection,” officials said.
Information about which retailers the meat was distributed to hasn’t been made available.
The recall is classified as a Class I, meaning it’s a health hazard situation where use of the product will likely cause “serious, adverse health consequences or death,” according to the USDA website. The health risk is also listed as “high.”
The packages containing eight, 10 pound “chubs” of Balter ground beef are subject to the recall and have the establishment number “EST. 11126” inside the USDA mark of inspection, the agency said. They have package dates of 07/20/20, 07/21/20 or 07/22/20, and lot codes 2020A or 2030A.
So far, officials said there have been no reports of illnesses or adverse reactions linked to consumption of the meat.
However, the USDA is urging anyone who purchased the products to throw them out or return them to where they were purchased.
This story was originally published August 3, 2020 at 6:16 PM with the headline "Recalled ground beef in GA, FL, Carolinas poses ‘high’ health risk, USDA says."