By Sunday Ameh
More than 167,000 pounds of raw pork, beef and goat meat have been recalled across the United States after the products were allegedly produced without federal inspection and carried a false United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspection mark.
The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said Star Meat Delivery Inc., based in Lucama, North Carolina, is recalling approximately 167,639 pounds of the affected meat products.
According to the agency, the products were distributed to restaurants and retailers after being shipped to A&D Foods, a distributor in Georgia.
The recalled products carried the establishment number “EST. 1363,” which the USDA said does not have a federal grant of inspection.
The agency classified the recall as Class I, its highest risk category, describing it as a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that consuming the affected products could result in serious health consequences or death.
The affected items include sliced ribeye, beef oxtail, beef short ribs, goat cuts and ground pork, among 23 products listed by the USDA.
The agency said the issue was discovered during a routine food safety inspection. It warned that the meat could contain undeclared allergens, harmful bacteria or other contaminants.
However, the USDA said there have been no confirmed reports of illness or injury linked to the recalled products.
Consumers who may have purchased the affected meat have been advised not to eat it. The agency urged them to dispose of the products or return them to the place of purchase.
The USDA also warned consumers to check packaging for the “EST. 1363” mark, while noting that some packages may no longer display the label if retailers have placed their own stickers on them.
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