WASHINGTON – Northwestern Meat, Inc., a Miami, Fla. firm, is recalling approximately 6,240 pounds of frozen boneless beef products imported from Honduras that may contain the animal drug Ivermectin, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. Ivermectin is a broad-spectrum anti-parasitic and is used as a de-worming agent in live animals.
The following products are subject to recall:
- 60-pound cases of "C&D" brand bulk-packed cartons of boneless beef with a package code of "LOT. N60 146-11 A" or "LOT. N60 146-11 B" and a processing date of "26.05.11" all shown on the box label.
The problem was discovered through FSIS routine sampling of beef muscle tissue from Honduras establishment #4 (Empacadora C&D) on July 18, 2011. The production lots that produced violative results were refused entry into the U.S. and are not available in commerce. However, Honduran authorities later notified the FSIS Office of International Affairs that additional implicated product derived from the same source materials shipped into the U.S. on an earlier date. These are the products that were released into commerce and therefore subject to the recall.
The products subject to recall were produced on May 26, 2011 and shipped to further processors in Florida and Illinois. FSIS and the company have received no reports of illness or adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a health care 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.
FSIS is responsible for assuring that imported meat, poultry and egg products are safe, wholesome, unadulterated, and properly labeled and packaged. FSIS randomly samples products at ports for drug and chemical residues. Additional product information regarding FSIS’ Point of Entry sampling can be found at: www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/
fsis_import_reinspection/index.asp
Consumers and media with questions about the recall should contact the company’s representative, Olga Nunez, at 305-633-8112.
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.
Source: USDA FSIS
