New Law Blogs

Meatpacker Recalls 16 Tons of Beef Tongues

By PritzkerLaw

Omaha meatpacker J.F. O'Neill Packing Co. is recalling 33,000 pounds of beef tongues packed between July 1 and October 8.

The tongues may not have had tonsils completely removed, which is not compliant with USDA regulations that require their removal.

In a Class II recall notice, meaning there is a low public health risk, the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said tonsils are among the tissues known to contain the infective agent in cattle infected with mad cow disease, or Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). 

The prevalence of BSE is extremely rare and almost non-existent in U.S. cattle, but the current recall is an opportunity to remind people why BSE is so dangerous. 

The FSIS regulations exist to minimize risk of human exposure to BSE. Tonsils are classified as "specified risk material,'' like spinal cord tissue, and must be removed from cattle of all ages at slaughter and kept out of the food chain under FSIS regulations. 

In humans it is known as new variant Creutzfeldt-Jackob Disease, which can be fatal. An outbreak in Britain several years ago resulted in human deaths. The country killed 4.4 million cattle as part of the eradication effort.

The recall covers various weight cases of "BEEF TONGUES." Each case bears establishment number EST 889A inside the USDA mark of inspection. They were sold under the following brand names: J.F. O'NEILL PACKING CO.," "WHOLE FOODS NATURAL," "WHOLE FOODS ORGANIC," "PREMIER PROTEIN PARTNERS," "MONTANA RANCH BRAND," "GRASSLAND BEEF," "AUSTIN MEATS," "MORGAN RANCH," "KOBE BEEF AMERICA," "IMPERIAL WAGYU BEEF," "BRAND ADVANTAGE WAGYU," "BRAND ADVANTAGE PARTNERS," "YAMAYA U.S.A.," and "A.D. ROSENBLATT."

FSIS said the problem was discovered during a food safety assessment by the agency.

Full post as published by Food Poisoning Law Blog on October 16, 2009 (boomark / email).