32,000lbs of meat recalled over false USDA inspection labels

It’s been raining food recalls in the US this year, with a new notice seemingly appearing on the USDA website each time you click ‘refresh’.

If you haven’t been keeping up with the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) conveyor belt of recalled foods, you’ve missed out on cucumbers, turkey bacon, tomatoes, bologna, energy drinks, nuclear shrimp, blueberries, eggs, and Dr Pepper to name just a few.

And if all that excitement wasn’t enough for one summer, yet another food recall has been issued on over 32,000lb of meat.

The recall, affecting products from New Jersey-based Sabrositos Hondureños, LLC, has been issued after it was found that they had false inspection markers.

Six products have been included in the recall (USDA)

Around 32,000lb of pork and chorizo products have been recalled, with the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) finding they bore a fraudulent USDA mark with the establishment number ‘EST. 1785’. This establishment number does not exist in the USDA's database.

The products were distributed to stores nationwide and, while no adverse effects have been reported, FSIS has said they should not be eaten.

They include:

• 14-oz. vacuum-sealed packages containing homestyle chorizo labeled “OLANCHO Chorizo Suelto Olanchano SABROCITOS HONDUREÑOS”
• 14-oz. vacuum-sealed packages containing smoked pork chops labeled “OLANCHO Chuleta Ahumada Olanchana SABROCITOS HONDUREÑOS”
• 14-oz. vacuum-sealed packages containing smoked chorizo labeled “OLANCHO Chorizo Ahumado Olanchano SABROCITOS HONDUREÑOS”
• 14-oz. vacuum-sealed packages containing cased homestyle chorizo, labeled “OLANCHO Chorizo Olanchano Criollo SABROCITOS HONDUREÑOS”
• 14-oz. vacuum-sealed packages containing smoked BBQ spicy chorizo labeled “OLANCHO Chorizo Parrillero SABROCITOS HONDUREÑOS”
• 14-oz. vacuum-sealed packages containing smoked ribs labeled “OLANCHO Costilla Ahumada Olanchana SABROCITOS HONDUREÑOS”

Affected products may be contaminated with unknown allergens, bacteria and other contaminants.

It’s recommended that you check your refrigerator and freezer for the products, and if you have any then it’s advised that they’re returned to the place of purchase or discarded.

Customers are advised not to eat or serve the affected products (USDA)

FSIS will update its website with a retail distribution list for the affected products once it becomes available.

The USDA said: “Consumers and members of the media with questions about the recall can contact Diego Funez Garrido, Owner, Sabrositos Hondurenos, LLC, at 908-274-4206.

“Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or send a question via email to [email protected]. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.”