An urgent warning has been issued in three states after more than 7,500 pounds of raw sausage meat was recalled for containing potentially deadly ingredients.
Impero Foods & Meats, based out of Baltimore, Maryland, produced raw pork sausage products without it being inspected by the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
FSIS says the products ‘weren’t processed to meet safety standards, posing a risk to public health’.
The product was shipped to restaurants and retail locations in Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.
The raw Italian pork sausage items were produced from October 3 through December 19 and have the establishment number ‘EST. 10827’ inside the USDA mark of inspection.
The products being recalled are white cardboard boxes weighing 10 pounds and ‘containing Old World Italian Sausage’.
Some of the boxes have ‘rope’ handwritten on the case, referring to the way the sausages have been divided up, while other lots have ‘link’ written on the boxes.
The government agency designated the recall as Class I, describing it as a ‘health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.’
More than 7,500lbs of raw sausage meat has been recalled across the US for being potentially harmful to eat
FSIS warns that some products may have been sold at retail deli counters without labels or other identification.
The problem was discovered when FSIS was performing surveillance activities at a retailer which was notified that items may have been produced at a facility that had a suspended grant of inspection.
After further investigation, it was determined that the items were produced without the benefit of a FSIS check.
So far, there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products.
Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact a healthcare provider.
FSIS is concerned that some product may be in retailers’ or restaurants’ refrigerators or freezers.
Retailers and restaurants are urged not to sell or serve these products.
The sausage meat was shipped to restaurants and retail locations in Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania
They are instructed to throw the products away or return them to the place of purchase.
Jerry Vitale, the owner of Impero Foods & Meats, told Newsweek that his company ‘followed the FSIS recommendation and voluntarily recalled any products that [were] out in commerce’.
The company, which has been running since 1985, states on its website that it operates its own USDA inspected meat processing facility.
It adds: ‘Specializing in European style veal cuttings, our butchers have decades of experience.
‘We are able to offer fresh Italian sausage, ground meats (beef, veal, pork, or a mix), veal, and chicken.
‘We also have rabbit, wild boar, duck, and quail, as well as Italian meats like prosciutto, pancetta, coppa, and sopressata. ‘
