California Firm Recalls Various Meat Products Produced Without the Benefit of Full Inspection

Dan Cattle, General, Industry News Release

Class I Recall
Health Risk: High

To view the Retail Distribution List for this recall, click here.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13, 2014 – Rancho Feeding Corporation, a Petaluma, Calif., establishment, is recalling approximately 41,683 pounds of various meat products because they were produced without the benefit of full federal inspection, making them unfit for human food, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The following Rancho Feeding Corporation products are subject to recall:

  • “Beef Carcasses”
  • 50-lb. boxes of “Beef Feet”
  • 20-lb. boxes of “Beef Oxtail”
  • 50-lb. boxes of “Beef Hearts”
  • 60 and 30-lb. boxes of “Beef Liver”
  • 30-lb. boxes of “Beef Cheeks”
  • 60-lb. boxes of “Beef Tripe”
  • 30-lb. boxes of “Beef Tongue”

Beef carcasses and boxes bear the establishment number “EST. 527” inside the USDA mark of inspection. Each box bears the case code number “ON9O4.” The products were produced Jan. 8, 2014, and shipped to distribution centers and retail establishments in California.

The problem was discovered as a result of an ongoing investigation. FSIS believes the company produced product without full ante-mortem inspection as per federal regulations.

FSIS has received no reports of illness due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify that recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that recalled product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts.

Consumers and members of the media who have questions about the recall can contact the plant’s Quality Control manager, Scott Parks, at (707) 762-6651 .

Consumers with food safety questions can “Ask Karen,” the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline ( 1-888-674-6854 ) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day. The online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/report-a-problem-with-food.

USDA Recall Classifications

  • Class I This is a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.
  • Class II This is a health hazard situation where there is a remote probability of adverse health consequences from the use of the product.
  • Class III This is a situation where the use of the product will not cause adverse health consequences.