100,000 Pounds of Ground Beef Are Being Recalled—Here's How to Tell If It's in Your Fridge

THE USDA SAYS THE PRODUCT POSES A SIGNIFICANT HEALTH RISK AND TO AVOID EATING IT.

Ground beef is one kitchen staple that works its way into a surprising number of dishes. So whether you're making a meaty pasta sauce, your favorite chili, hamburger patties, or an easy taco night, it's not uncommon to keep some on hand in your fridge or freezer. As a meat product, it's already common knowledge that proper storage and preparation are essential for ensuring it's safe to eat. But now, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is warning the public that 100,00 pounds of ground beef are being recalled for safety reasons. Read on to see how you can tell if this product is in your fridge.

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There have been several recent meat-related recalls.
Shutterstock / LADO

The way meat is processed has made it a much safer product for consumption than it was decades ago, but there are still safety issues that come up from time to time. In fact, there have been several recent recalls focused on meat items.

In September, Illinois-based Behrmann Meat and Processing Inc. issued a recall on 87,382 pounds of its ready-to-eat meat products, impacting  64 items ranging from bacon to bratwurst. The company issued the recall after environmental testing of its facilities came back positive for Listeria monocytogenes, a potentially deadly bacteria that can cause severe foodborne illness.

The following month, Foster Farms announced it was recalling about 148,000 pounds of fully cooked frozen chicken breast patty products that were sold at Costco stores in Arizona, California, Colorado, Utah, and Washington. Customers who had purchased the items were instructed not to eat them and to throw them away after the company received complaints of "hard clear plastic" in the patties.

And on Nov. 9, FSIS announced that Menu19 LLC had issued a recall for just over 5,000 pounds of frozen beef dumpling products. Specifically, the affected items included 1.5-pound cartons that contained 12 pieces of "Mantu menu19," which is a savory Afghan specialty. In this case, the agency said the items were pulled because they were produced "without the benefit of federal inspection" and lacked a USDA mark of inspection on their packaging. And now, another meat product is being pulled from shelves.

The USDA says nearly 100,000 pounds of ground beef are being recalled.
Shutterstock/Tyler Olson

On Nov. 16, FSIS that well-known meat supplier Tyson Fresh Meats had issued a recall for 93,697 pounds of raw ground beef products. The agency says the affected items were shipped to retail locations throughout Texas, specifically at H-E-B, Joe V's, Mi Tienda, and Central Market stores.

The recalled products include 10-pound and 5-pound chubs labeled "HILL COUNTRY FARE GROUND BEEF 73% LEAN/ 27% FAT" with the "best before or freeze by" date Nov. 25, 2022; and 5-pound chubs labeled "H-E-B GROUND CHUCK GROUND BEEF 80% LEAN/ 20% FAT." The items can also be identified by the establishment number "EST. 245E" printed on the seam.

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The company issued the recall due to a potential health and safety issue.
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According to the FSIS notice, Tyson initiated the recall after the company received customer complaints about finding "mirror-like" extraneous materials in the ground beef products.

In a press release, H-E-B said all affected products had been removed from store shelves. However, the company is concerned that customers may still have the recalled items in their refrigerators or freezers at home.

Here's what you should do if you purchased the recalled ground beef.
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The agency says that no customers have reported any injuries or adverse reactions related to the recalled items so far. However, they advise anyone who is concerned they may have been injured or made ill by the products to call their doctor or healthcare provider immediately.

Anyone who purchased the recalled ground beef is urged not to consume it. Instead, they should throw it out or return it immediately to its place of purchase.

If customers have questions or concerns about the recall, they can contact Tyson at the hotline listed on the FSIS recall notice.