It's a state that's making major headlines, and now the USDA suggests consumers there should check for this mislabeled grocery.
Nearly 2,000 Pounds of Meat Recalled in One State
In all the headlines around Ohio this past week, perhaps you’ve also seen the heartwarming images of Springville residents supporting restaurants owned by their Haitian neighbors.
But there’s a heads-up for Ohio consumers who avoid two particular ingredients for medical or other reasons. On September 12, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a warning that two ready-to-eat hot dog products, totaling 1,944 pounds of meat, were being recalled. Produced on August 7, 2024 by Dearborn Sausage Company, Inc., located in Dearborn, Michigan, the wiener products were identified as a hazard due to “misbranding” and “undeclared allergens.”
The FSIS explains that the labels of the two now-recalled products were “inadvertently swapped, resulting in soy, a known allergen, and pork not being declared on the product labels.” Soy is considered one of the big-nine food allergens, while other consumers might avoid pork also due to an allergy or because of cultural or religious reasons.
Customers are urged to check their fridges and freezers for the following items:
- 2-lb. vacuum-sealed packages of “BROOKSIDE BRAND FULLY COOKED NATURAL CASING BEEF WIENERS” that may contain undeclared pork with lot code A0122024
- 2-lb. vacuum-sealed packages of “BROOKSIDE BRAND NATURAL CASING FULLY COOKED WIENERS” that may contain undeclared soy with lot code A0322024
Shipped to locations in Ohio, the compromised wiener products feature the establishment number “EST. 10002” inside the USDA mark of inspection. The sell-by date listed on both products is November 5, 2024.
The company discovered that the products could endanger customers when they received a complaint that the items had been incorrectly labeled.
“The establishment determined that they inadvertently mislabeled beef wiener products as beef and pork wiener products and vice versa. The products labeled as beef and pork wiener products actually contain beef wiener products that contain soy; therefore, soy is not declared on the finished product label,” the FSIS wrote in its advisory. “Additionally, the product labeled as beef wiener products actually contain beef and pork wiener products, therefore, pork is not declared on the finished product label,” they added.
At the time of the announcement, there were no confirmed reports of adverse reactions to the recalled products. However, soy allergies can be serious, causing gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, and indigestion, or, in more severe cases, anaphylaxis.
Those who may have purchased the items are urged to throw them away or return them to the seller, rather than consuming them. Contact your doctor if you believe you may be having an adverse reaction.
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