(This article was updated March 10 with information from USDA’s March 8 list of retailers.) The U.S. Department of Agriculture now believes that the approximately 8.7 million pounds of meat recalled by Petaluma, CA, processor Rancho Feeding Corporation and lacking a full federal inspection was shipped to distribution centers and retail establishments nationwide. The Class 1 recall initially stated that the recalled products had been shipped to distribution centers and retail establishments in California, Florida, Illinois and Texas. The current list of distributors published by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) includes more than 5,800 specific retailers (a previous version listed more than 6,300) in 45 states, Washington, D.C., Guam and Puerto Rico. There are another 171 “Nationwide, State-Wide, or Area-Wide Distribution” locations listed that include 7-11, Albertsons, Family Dollar, Kroger, Piggly-Wiggly, Walgreens and various gas stations. Shell and Target are the two stores with locations listed as “nationwide.” FSIS reissued the recall release on Feb. 18, stating that the update is “a consequence of a properly working recall process.” “When the recall release was first issued on February 8, FSIS was unable to ascertain the extent of the establishments involved,” the notice reads. “As the establishments were notified, the list of States affected grew.” In the March 8 update, more than 2,300 stores are listed for California, the state with the most retailers. Among the additional “Nationwide, State-Wide, or Area-Wide Distribution” locations in California are about 60 chains including 7-11, Chevron, Family Dollar, Food 4 Less, Rite Aide, Safeway, Walgreens and Winco. Nestlé has also recalled some of its Hot Pockets sandwiches because, although the company did not purchase meat directly from Rancho, “a small quantity of meat from Rancho was used at Nestlé’s Chatsworth, California production operation.” The following Rancho Feeding Corporation products are subject to recall:
- “Beef Carcasses” (wholesale and custom sales only)
- 2 per box “Beef (Market) Heads” (retail only)
- 4-gallons per box “Beef Blood” (wholesale only)
- 20-lb. boxes of “Beef Oxtail”
- 30-lb. boxes of “Beef Cheeks”
- 30-lb. boxes of ” Beef Lips”
- 30-lb. boxes of “Beef Omasum”
- 30-lb. boxes of “Beef Tripas”
- 30-lb. boxes of “Mountain Oysters”
- 30-lb. boxes of “Sweet Breads”
- 30- and 60-lb. boxes of “Beef Liver”
- 30- and 60-lb. boxes of “Beef Tripe”
- 30- and 60-lb. boxes of “Beef Tongue”
- 30- and 60-lb. boxes of “Veal Cuts”
- 40-lb. boxes of “Veal Bones”
- 50-lb. boxes of “Beef Feet”
- 50-lb. boxes of “Beef Hearts”
- 60-lb. boxes of “Veal Trim”
Beef carcasses and boxes bear the establishment number “EST. 527” inside the USDA mark of inspection. Each box bears the case code number ending in “3” or “4.” The products were produced Jan. 1, 2013, through Jan. 7, 2014, and shipped to distribution centers and retail establishments nationwide. FSIS has received no reports of illness due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider.
