Vermont Packinghouse LLC of North Springfield, VT, late Thursday recalled almost 11,000 pounds of raw intact bone-in beef quarters, specifically T-bone and porterhouse steaks, that may contain illegal vertebral column material, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
Vertebral column material is one of a number of specified risk materials (SRM), which are the tissues of ruminant animals that cannot be inspected, and therefore cannot be approved for human food. Scientists have determined that prions concentrated in such tissues may cause Bovine spongiform encephalopathy, commonly known as Mad Cow Disease.
FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
The implicated cattle, which were more than 30 months old, were slaughtered from Feb. 8 to June 8 this year, according to the recall notice posted by FSIS. The following products are subject to recall:
- Fresh T-bone and Porterhouse steaks wrapped in white butcher paper and sold at Walden Local Butcher Shop in Boston.
The quartered carcasses were shipped from Vermont Packinghouse LLC to the single retail location for further processing and were wrapped in butcher paper for consumers.
The problem was discovered through a complaint filed with the state of Vermont and then passed along to FSIS.
There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions or injuries due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness 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.
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