A Big Beef Recall, A Limited Tomato Recall

Update, 2/19: Hot Pockets Recall Linked to Rancho

Two types of Hot Pockets sandwiches--Philly Steak and Cheese and Croissant Crust Philly Steak and Cheese (in 3 different size packages)--have been recalled by Nestlé USA because they may contain recalled meat processed by the Rancho Feeding Corp. This new recall involves 238,000 cases of Hot Pockets pastries.  

Nestlé said that, although the company had not purchased meat directly from Rancho, some meat involved in the Rancho recall was used in a California facility that makes Hot Pockets. 

If you have Philly Steak and Cheese Hot Pockets in your freezer, check out the list of batch codes posted by Huffington Post. A CNN article also provides a link to this info.  If you have any of the recalled products, return them for a refund or call Nestlé Consumer Services, 800-392-4057.

Original article:

The sheer quantity of one of these recalls--nearly 9 million pounds of meat!--caught the attention of major news media.  The tomato recall was much smaller but still affected several states.  Here are the details on both of these recalls.

Rancho Feeding Corporation meat products:

This recall could make even a vegetarian feel queasy! On February 8, Rancho Feeding Corp. of Petaluma, California, recalled 8,742,700 pounds of meat products because "it processed diseased and unsound animals and carried out these activities without the benefit or full benefit of federal inspection. Thus, the products are adulterated, because they are unsound, unwholesome or otherwise are unfit for human food and must be removed from commerce, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today."

Here's the good news:  On February 12, Newsmax TV announced that Rancho Feeding Corp. has closed.  Let's hope it's forever.

The products involved in the recall included 18 items, some common in American diets--(such as veal cuts and beef liver) and some that are not so common (such as beef cheeks, lips, and feet).  For a complete list of the recalled products and identifying codes, see the news release put out by the USDA's FSIS (Food Safety and Inspection Service).  Some items are purchased frozen, so consumers need to check their freezers.

The Rancho products involved in the recall were produced from January 1, 2013 to Jan 7, 2014. They were shipped to distribution centers and retail stores in California, Florida, Illinois, Oregon, Washington, and Texas.

This is not the first recall involving Rancho Feeding.  In January of this year, the company recalled 40,000 pounds of meat that also had not undergone a full inspection.  All of that meat was distributed in California. This latest recall involves about a year's worth of products for the company.

So far, there have been no reports of illness from consumption of these Rancho products.

Big Red Tomato Packers' fresh tomatoes:

Red Tomato Packers, of Fort Pierce, FL, has issued a limited recall of 790 - 20 and 25 lb. boxes of fresh tomatoes of lot 1106 because they may have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism that can cause serious infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain.

These tomatoes were distributed to a limited number of receivers in Florida, North Carolina, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee.  All receivers have been notified of the potential for contamination. 

For more information about this recall, phone Erin Cox at 772-466-0700 or email erin@bigredtomatopackers.com  

Source(s):

fsis.usda.gov "California Firm Recalls Unwholesome Meat Products Produced Without Benefit of Inspection"

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2014/recall-013-2014-release

abclocal.go.com (Associated Press, Petaluma, CA.)

http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?id=942520

newsmax.com "Rancho Closes Slaughterhouse After Recalling 'Unfit' Beef"

http://www.newsmax.com/thewire/rancho-feeding-closes-slaughterhouse/2014/02/12/id/552375

fda.gov "Big Red Tomato Packers, LLC Voluntarily Recalls Fresh Tomatoes Due to Possible Risk of Contamination from Salmonella"
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm385209.htm?source=govdelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery