USDA issues public health alert over meat and poultry products illegally imported from the Philippines

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for ready-to-eat meat and poultry products that were illegally imported from the Philippines. 

The problem was discovered when FSIS was performing routine surveillance activities at a retailer and found meat and poultry products from the Philippines that are not eligible to be exported to the U.S.

The Philippines is a country not eligible to export meat and poultry products to the United States. FSIS is continuing to investigate how these products entered the country.

FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ and restaurants’ pantries and on retailers’ shelves. 

These items were shipped to restaurant and retail locations in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia.

Products subject to the public health alert:

• 150-g. can of “Argentina BRAND CORNED BEEF.”
• 175-g. can of “Argentina BRAND CORNED BEEF.”
• 260-g. can of “Argentina BRAND CORNED BEEF.”
• 150-g. can of “PUREFOODS CORNED BEEF.”
• 210-g. can of “PUREFOODS CORNED BEEF.”
• 150-g. can of “CHUNKEE CORNED BEEF.”
• 190-g. can of “CHUNKEE CORNED BEEF.”
• 7.43-oz. jar of “Lady’s Choice Chicken Spread.”

The products subject to the public health alert do not bear any producing establishment information. Product images can be viewed here.

As of the posting of this public health alert, there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider.

Retailers who have purchased the products are urged not to sell them. Consumers and restaurants who have purchased these products are urged not to consume or serve them. Consumers are asked to double bag the product when discarding it to reduce the possibility of animals accessing the product because USDA cannot confirm whether the products were properly heated to control pathogens of concern to domestic livestock and poultry.

(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)