Raw Italian pork sausages have been recalled because they were produced without the benefit of federal inspection.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has classed the recall as high risk, meaning "a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death."
This is because the sausages were produced without the benefit of federal inspection, meaning manufacturers may not have adhered to meat safety regulations.
Impero Foods & Meats, Inc., based in Baltimore, Maryland, is voluntarily recalling nearly 7,500 pounds of raw sausage meat.
Newsweek has approached Impero Foods & Meats for comment via email.
The raw Italian pork sausages were produced from October 3 to December 19 and distributed to restaurants and retail stores in Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania.
FSIS has cautioned that the meats may also have been sold at deli counters without labels or identification.
The sausages were sold in 10lb white cardboard box cases containing a plastic bag, labeled as "Old World Italian Sausage" with either the word "rope" or the word "link handwritten on the case, and with the establishment number "EST. 10827" printed inside the USDA mark of inspection.
FSIS has said it discovered the problem when it was "performing surveillance activities" at a retailer, after it had been notified that some items may have been produced at a facility that had a suspended grant of inspection.
A federal grant of inspection is an authorization that is issued by FSIS to facilities that produce egg, meat or poultry to ensure they meet food safety, labeling and animal welfare standards.
It is a legal requirement for companies wishing to sell these products outside the state where they were produced.
However, FSIS determined that the sausages, sold in three states, were produced without the benefit of FSIS inspection, so they may not have met those requirements.
There have been no confirmed reports of illness related to these products, as of a statement posted by FSIS on Friday, December 20. Anyone concerned about an illness is advised to contact their health care provider.
FSIS has said it is "concerned" that some recalled products might be in refrigerators or freezers of homes, stores and restaurants.
It has urged businesses not to eat, sell or serve these products, but to throw them away or return them to where they were bought.
Consumers with questions about this recall can contact Jerry Vitale, owner of Impero Foods & Meats, by telephoning 443-695-5750 or emailing jerry@imperofoods.com.
Anyone with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or send their questions via email to MPHotline@usda.gov.
Other recent recalls include a meatball mix that may contain metal, eggs that may be contaminated with salmonella and frozen vegetables that could cause allergic reactions.
Do you have a tip on a food story that Newsweek should be covering? Is there a nutrition concern that's worrying you? Let us know via science@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured in Newsweek.
English (US) ·