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FSIS Will Begin Listing Retail Stores Involved in Recalls

By Pritzker | Ruohonen

Starting next month, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) will begin listing retail establishments that have received recalled products.  In the past, only information relating to the establishment that recalled the affected product was released, including the reason for recall, a product description, identifying product codes, and information on how to contact the establishment.  Under the new policy, FSIS will not only list the establishment that recalls the product, but also the retail stores that receive meat and poultry products involved in Class I recalls.   This is information the we called on the FSIS to list with Class I recall announcements.

Class I recalls pose the most serious threat to public health, and the affected products have a reasonable probability of causing serious danger to those with weak immune systems.  The USDA is implementing this new policy so that consumers have the best information available to determine if they have recalled products in their home.  

According to Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer:

"The identity of retail stores with recalled meat and poultry from their suppliers has always been a missing piece of information for the public during a recall. People want to know if they need to be on the lookout for recalled meat and poultry from their local store and by providing lists of retail outlets during recalls, USDA's Food Safety Inspection Service will improve public health protection by better informing consumers."

FSIS hopes to release lists of the retail stores within 3-10 days after issuing a recall.  The list will be posted on the FSIS Web site (www.fsis.usda.gov) and will include retail stores such as supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, meat markets, wholesale clubs, and supercenters.  However, FSIS has chosen not to identify distribution centers, institutions, and restaurants due to the preparation of food for immediate consumption that does not contain identifiable packaging. We disagree with this because people who have eaten at restaurants where recalled meat and poultry has been served should know that they need to watch for symptoms of foodborne illness.

Full post as published by Food Poisoning Law Blog on July 11, 2008 (boomark / email).