California Firm Recalls Canadian Liver Pâté Products

Dan General

California Firm Recalls Canadian Liver Pâté Products Produced Without Import Inspection

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26, 2014 – Sun Hing Foods, Inc., the Importer of Record, a South San Francisco, Calif., establishment, is recalling approximately 1,282 pounds of Canadian liver pâté products which were produced without the benefit of full USDA inspection, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. While this is a Class I recall, FSIS issues a Public Health Alert for an imported product when the country of origin recalls the product. However, FSIS issues a recall for an imported product when the product is not presented for inspection at the U.S. border. In the United States, the recall is undertaken by the Importer of Record, which is accountable to FSIS.

The following Sun Hing Foods, Inc., products are subject to recall: [View Labels (PDF Only)]

  • 2.75-oz. and 4.76-oz. packages of “FLOWER ® BRAND, LIVER PÂTÉ / PÂTÉ DE FOIE” bearing case code “215960.”
  • 4.76-oz. packages of “FORTUNE ® BRAND, LIVER SPREAD / PÂTÉ DE FOIE” bearing case code “215960.”

Packages will bear the Canadian establishment number “265.” The products were distributed into commerce in Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia.

The problem was discovered when FSIS import staff reviewed records and discovered that the product was not presented by the independent third party carrier for USDA inspection at the U.S. – Canadian border.

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: at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.

FSIS and the company have received no reports of illness due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about illness should contact a healthcare provider.

Consumers with questions about the recall should contact Rosenda Chan, Office Manager, at (650) 583-8188, ext. 610. Media with questions about the recall should contact Winnie Ho at (650) 583-8188, ext. 637.

Consumers with food safety questions can “Ask Karen,” the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.govor via smartphone at m.askkaren.gov. “Ask Karen” live chat services are available Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET. 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.

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.