USDA Warns Consumers of Illegally Imported Meat Products from Burma Distributed Across Multiple States
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a health alert affecting consumers across nine states due to the discovery of unapproved meat and poultry products imported from Burma (Myanmar).
This warning covers a range of products including “BEST BEEF CURRY” and “BEST Myanmar Duck Blood,” which were found lacking USDA inspection marks and establishment numbers, a requirement for all meat products legally sold in the U.S.
The products were detected during routine FSIS surveillance at a retail location, leading to a broader investigation into how they entered the U.S. retail market.
Distributed across states like Arizona, California, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas, these items are now the focus of an FSIS request urging consumers to discard or return them to the point of purchase. Retailers are also being advised to pull these items from shelves to prevent further sales.
Though no illnesses have been reported to date, FSIS expressed concern that these products may still be in consumers’ homes or on retailers’ shelves.
“Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them,” FSIS stated, emphasizing the need for disposal or returns as a precautionary measure. Pictures of the product labels are available on the FSIS website to aid consumers in identifying the items in question.
This incident comes amid heightened food safety concerns following several recent recalls, including a massive recall by BrucePac, an Oklahoma-based meat supplier, which pulled nearly 12 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products earlier this month due to potential Listeria contamination.
BrucePac’s recall impacted over 200 schools across 17 states, underscoring the importance of stringent food safety protocols. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to track these incidents, noting that Listeria-related foodborne illnesses have led to numerous hospitalizations and fatalities in recent months.
Donald Schaffner, a food safety expert and professor at Rutgers University, emphasized that outbreaks of this nature can appear random but are often identified more quickly now thanks to advances in CDC tracking methods.
Schaffner advises consumers to minimize foodborne illness risks by maintaining refrigerator temperatures at 40°F or lower, avoiding cross-contamination, and cooking meat thoroughly.
The FSIS continues its investigation into the origins and distribution channels of illegally imported Burmese products and has committed to enforcing stricter import and inspection regulations to protect public health.
This recent alert reinforces the USDA’s focus on safeguarding the integrity of the U.S. food supply amidst an increasingly globalized market.
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