🛑 What Should Consumers Do?
If you determine that you have recalled meat, do not eat it.
FSIS advises consumers not to consume the affected products. Retailers and restaurants are likewise instructed not to sell or serve them. Recalled products should be discarded or returned to the place of purchase.
And don’t rely on:
❌ Smell
❌ Appearance
❌ Color
❌ Cooking it extra thoroughly
to decide whether recalled meat is safe.
A food product can look and smell normal while still being unsuitable for consumption.
🍽️ What About Restaurants?
This recall isn’t limited to household refrigerators.
Because the recalled meat was distributed through a Georgia distributor for further distribution to retail and restaurant locations nationwide, restaurants may also have received affected products.
Restaurants should check their inventory and suppliers against the recall information before serving potentially affected products.
Consumers who are eating at restaurants can also ask staff about recalled ingredients if they have reason to believe a particular product may be involved.
⚠️ Why Federal Inspection Matters
Federal inspection is an important part of the U.S. meat safety system.
Inspection involves regulatory oversight intended to help ensure that meat products meet federal requirements before they enter commerce.
When meat is produced outside that inspection system, regulators cannot treat it as having gone through the required process.
That’s why the issue here goes beyond a simple labeling mistake.
FSIS stated that meat produced without inspection may potentially involve risks such as undeclared allergens, harmful bacteria or other contaminants.
🩺 Have People Become Sick?
At the time of the reports available on September 23, there were no confirmed reports of illness or injury associated with consumption of the recalled products.
That is an important distinction.
A recall can be issued as a precaution because a product doesn’t meet safety or inspection requirements even when illnesses have not been confirmed.
Anyone who believes they became ill after eating a recalled product should contact a healthcare professional.
