Meat Recalls In Florida: Butterball Turkey And Beef Gravy

FLORIDA — Check your freezers, Florida residents. Certain lots of Butterball turkey and beef are subject to recall for concerns over the presence of plastic or lead particles.

The USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service says it’s concerned the meats may be in freezers and pantries in Florida and elsewhere across the United States. Officials say the turkey and beef, which are potentially contaminated with plastic and lead, respectively, were distributed nationwide.

Here’s a rundown:

Butterball Ground Turkey Concerns

After receiving consumer complaints, Mount Olive, North Carolina-based Butterball is recalling 14,107 pounds of ground turkey products that may be contaminated with blue plastic, according to the Food Safety Inspection Service.

The affected products, shipped to retailers in Florida and nationwide, were produced on Sept. 28. They include:

• 2.5-pound trays containing “farm to family BUTTERBALL all natural Ground Turkey” with the case code 50211271, a sell or freeze by date of 10/18/2021, and timestamps from 2123 through 2302 printed on the packaging.
• 3-pound tray containing “Kroger GROUND TURKEY” with the case code 50211271, a sell or freeze by date of 10/17/2021, and timestamps from 2314 through 2351 printed on the packaging.

The trays of turkey bear the establishment number “EST. P-7345” inside the USDA mark of inspection.

USDA food safety inspectors found blue plastic particles in the affected raw turkey after receiving consumer complaints. No one has been sickened, but the agency said it’s concerned some of the ground turkey may be in freezers and refrigerators.

The agency urged consumers not to eat the turkey, but to throw it away or return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. » More information.

Unsafe Lead In Crider Beef Gravy

Stillwater, Georgia-based Crider Foods is recalling about 525,717 pounds of canned beef with gravy products that may be contaminated with unsafe levels of lead, the Food Safety Inspection Service said. The products were shipped to retailers nationwide, including in Florida.

A spice mix from a supplier outside the United States contained unsafe levels of lead, the agency said.

The recalled products have Oct. 22, 2020, and March 15, 2021, production dates, and bear establishment number “EST. 31812” on the can. They are:

• 12-ounce cans of “Hargis House ROAST BEEF AND GRAVY” with best by dates of 10/22/2022 and 3/15/2023.
• 12-ounce cans of “Clover Valley FULLY COOKED ROAST BEEF WITH GRAVY” with best by dates of 10/22/2022 and 3/15/2023.
• 12-ounce cans of “Kroger ROAST BEEF WITH GRAVY” with best by dates of 10/22/2022 and 3/15/2023.
• 12-ounce cans of “Hostess ROAST BEEF WITH GRAVY” with best by dates of 10/22/2022 and 3/15/2023.
• 12-ounce cans of “Laura Lynn Roast Beef WITH GRAVY” with best by dates of 10/22/2022 and 3/15/2023.
• 12-ounce cans of “ARMOUR Roast Beef WITH GRAVY” with best by dates of 10/22/2022 and 3/15/2023.
• 12-ounce cans of “HARVEST CREEK Roast Beef with Gravy” with best by dates of 10/22/2022 and 3/15/2023.

The problem was discovered during routine surveillance sampling by Georgia food safety inspectors. No one has been sickened, the Food Safety Inspection Service said. » More information.

Nick’s Famous Bar-B-Q Listeria Concerns

Nashville, Tennessee-based Nick’s Famous Bar-B-Q is recalling about 3,140 pounds of ready to eat smoked pork potentially contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the Food Safety Inspection Service said.

The recalled products were produced on Sept. 7-8 and packaged on the 8th. The meat products bear establishment number “EST. 17863” inside the USDA mark of inspection, and were distributed to institutions, including schools, in North Carolina.

The Food Safety Inspection Service discovered the problem during an assessment of the establishment’s production records. There have been no reported illnesses.

People who eat listeria-contaminated food can develop listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, people with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns. » More information.

— By Beth Dalbey