North Carolina Firm Recalls Diced Beef Products that May Contain Foreign Materials

The problem occurred as a result of a conveyor belt being damaged during production.

Courtesy: technorati.com

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - RSW Distributors, LLC, a Forest City, N.C., establishment is recalling approximately 3,104 pounds of seasoned diced beef products that may contain foreign materials, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The products subject to recall include:

• Cases containing 4 (four) 8-lb. vacuum-sealed 10x22 inch pouches of “SEASONED COOKED BEEF (DICED) Manufactured by Culinary Standards” and “EST. 8318” inside the USDA mark of inspection.  The cases also bear the USDA Process Control Certification Program seal.

The products subject to recall were produced on Dec. 9, 2011 and shipped to institutions for further distribution to schools in Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee and Washington as part of the USDA’s National School Lunch Program.

The problem occurred as a result of a conveyor belt being damaged during production. FSIS determined that the products produced may have contained small pieces of the belt and that those products were detained per FSIS instructions but inadvertently shipped into commerce later. FSIS and the company have received no reports of consumer complaints or reports of injury or illness at this time.  Anyone concerned about an injury or illness from consumption of these products should contact a healthcare provider.

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.

Consumers and news reporters with questions about the recall should contact Pam Higgs, the company’s Vice President of Customer Relations, at (800) 778-3434, ext. 22.

Consumers with food safety questions can “Ask Karen,” the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.