Central Valley Meat recalls ground beef over foreign material contamination concerns

Central Valley Meat Company, based in California, US, has initiated a recall of 58,240lbs of its ground beef as it may contain small pieces of plastic, the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has announced.

The product subject to recall is 40lb cases containing 10lb chubs of ‘Fine Ground Beef’.

The affected product, which features the establishment number ‘Est. 6063A’ inside the USDA mark of inspection, was produced on 1 April 2013 and shipped to distribution centres in Arkansas, California, Montana and Texas for use by the National School Lunch Program.

It can be further identified by case code ‘6063A3091A’ or ‘6063A3091B’.

FSIS identified the problem during an investigation which was initiated after a customer complaint.

The agency and Central Valley Meat have received no consumer complaints of illnesses associated with these products, and have advised those concerned about illness to contact a healthcare provider.

Classified as Class I, the recall indicates a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product could cause serious, adverse health consequences.

The latest recall comes after Central Valley Meat recently retrieved ground beef that was delivered to 78 Idaho school districts between 2 July and 6 September, as it may have contained small pieces of plastic.

In 2012, Central Valley Meat was suspended from supplying meat to the USDA’s National School Lunch Program after a video depicting animal cruelty at the company was posted online.

FSIS 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.