By: Tony Flood Date: 9/2/10
Within the past two weeks, we have been the recipients of bad news regarding food safety. We have witnessed two food recalls; one affecting over 32 million cartons of eggs contaminated with Salmonella and as of last week, sickened over 1,400 consumers. The latest recall of approximately8,500 pounds of ground beef contaminated with E. coli O26 will likely have you asking the question – what should I do to keep safe?
First and foremost we should all become familiar with Recall Basics, a simple, practical set of guidelines to follow whenever there is a food recall in effect. There are five (5) easy steps to follow once you’ve discovered that you have a recalled food product in your home. They include:
• Do not eat the product
• Dispose of the product carefully
• Do not provide the product to others (e.g., do not give to food banks, pets, etc.)
• Do not puncture or otherwise open the product
• Wash your hands with warm, soapy water after handling the product
Also note that just because one product is recalled does not mean that all forms of that product are unsafe. From time to time recalls are expanded to include additional information once it is gathered.
There are different types or classes of recalls as noted in the chart below. All food recalls should be taken seriously. Updated information regarding the ground beef and egg recall are available at: www.recalls.gov. Updated food safety information is available at www.foodsafety.gov
• Class I recall
o Involves a dangerous or defective product that is reasonably likely to cause serious health problems or death. Example: raw ground beef found to be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.
• Class II recall
o Involves a product that may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences.
• Class III recall
o Use of or exposure to the product is not likely to cause adverse health consequences.
• Public Health Alert
o May be issued when FSIS has reason to believe that a meat or poultry product may be associated with human illnesses, but cannot identify a specific product that should be recalled.
• Market withdrawal
o Involves a product that is withdrawn from the market because it does not meet company quality specifications or it exhibits a minor infraction of regulatory requirements.
• Establishment Number
o The establishment number directly connects a meat or poultry food product to the plant at which it was produced.