Triple J Family Farms recalls bone-in ribeye over presence of specified risk materials

US-based Triple J Family Farms is recalling about 15,270lbs of bone-in ribeye products as the vertebral column may not have been completely removed, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

The problem was identified by FSIS during a routine specified risk material (SRM) verification and may have occurred due to a recent change in the company’s carcass separation practices.

The products that are subject to recall include 40lb boxes of ‘BEEF B/I RIB’, with case codes ’91-R109H-C’, ’91-R109H-S’, ’91-R109H-C-SB’ and ’91-R109H-S-SB’, and bear the establishment number ‘EST.17466’ inside the USDA mark of inspection.

These recalled products were produced and packaged on various dates between 8 Febraury 2013 and 21 March 2013, and were distributed to an FSIS-inspected establishment in New York for further processing and distribution.

According to the FSIS, the vertebral column is considered a SRM, and has to be removed in cattle 30 months of age or older.

SRMs are tissues that may contain the infective agent in cattle infected with Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), and materials that are closely associated with these potentially infective tissues.

FSIS prohibits SRMs from use as human food to reduce potential human exposure to the BSE agent; however, there is no report that any of the cattle slaughtered displayed any signs of BSE.

Classified as Class II, the recall indicates a health hazard situation where there is a remote probability of adverse health consequences from the consumption of the product.

The agency regularly conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify that recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers.