More than 62,000 pounds of raw beef recalled last Wednesday
NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Following the recall of more than 62,000 pounds of raw beef in the United States after the USDA’s Food and Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) suspected E. coli contamination, the Bahamas Agricultural Health and Food Safety Authority (BAHFSA) plans to advise domestic consumers of cautionary measures to take as it continues a collaborative investigation with U.S. authorities.
The BAHFSA is expected to release a statement today on the matter.
“We are in contact with the USDA, FSIS and FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and will update the public as our collaborative investigation offers more concrete conclusions to the risk,” the BAHFSA told Eyewitness News Online.
The 62,112 pounds of raw beef packaged April 19 at Aurora Packing Company, Inc. and shipped nationwide, was recalled by the FSIS last Wednesday.
The FSIS issued a Class I recall: a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.
Class II recalls involve a ‘remote possibility’ of serious, adverse health consequences or death and a Class III recall is a situation where the use of the product will not cause adverse health consequences.
The possible contamination was reportedly discovered by the FSIS during random sample testing.
All affected products have the establishment number EST.788 inside the USDA mark of inspection, according to international reports.
As of last week, there were no confirmed reports of illness in the U.S. due to consumption of these products.
“FSISis concerned that some product may be in institutional facility freezers. Institutions who have purchased these products are urged not to use them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase,” according to a statement from FSIS Congressional and Public Affairs Buck McKay.
FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.”
In November 2018, the BAHFSA warned consumers against the consumption of romaine lettuce and raw turkey products derived from the U.S. due to an outbreak of E. coli and salmonella.
