A North Carolina meat company is recalling nearly 168,000 pounds of raw pork, beef, and goat after federal officials found the products were never inspected and were sold under a fake USDA stamp.
Star Meat Delivery Inc., based in Lucama, N.C., announced the recall of about 167,639 pounds of meat on Sept. 22 alongside the Food Safety and Inspection Service, the branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that oversees the country’s meat supply. The products were sold under the A&D Foods label. They were vacuum sealed, packed into cardboard boxes, and shipped to A&D Foods, a distributor in Georgia, which sent them on to grocery stores and restaurants nationwide.
Meat sold in the United States generally has to pass federal inspection, and products that pass carry a round USDA mark with an establishment number printed inside it. That number identifies the approved plant where the meat was processed. The recalled products carry establishment number “EST. 1363,” a number with no federal approval attached to it. The Food Safety and Inspection Service says any product with that number should be treated as mislabeled and unsafe to eat.
The recall covers goat and beef cuts, ground pork, pork chops, chorizo, and other pork products, all produced on various dates before Sept. 22 and all carrying the fake USDA stamp.
Meat that skips inspection can carry harmful bacteria, allergens that are not listed on the label, and other contaminants, according to the agency. There have been no confirmed reports of anyone getting sick. Officials say they are concerned the meat may still be sitting in the refrigerators and freezers of homes, restaurants, and stores.
Shoppers may not be able to spot the recalled meat by its label. Stores that received the bulk boxes may have repackaged the meat with their own price and handling stickers, which means the A&D Foods name and the EST. 1363 number may not appear on what customers took home. The agency has not named specific stores or restaurants that received the products and says it will post a retail distribution list on its website as that information becomes available.
Anyone who has the recalled meat should not eat it and should throw it away or return it to the store where it was bought. Shoppers who recently bought pork, beef, or goat and are unsure where it came from can ask the store whether it was supplied by A&D Foods. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider.
