Payam Javan: The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) recently issued a public health alert for meat products illegally imported from Burma (Myanmar), which have been found in several states. The products, lacking a USDA inspection mark and establishment number, were discovered during routine surveillance at a retailer. The items in question were shipped to various retail locations across Arizona, California, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. FSIS has advised consumers who purchased these products to dispose of them or return them to the retailer, as they are not approved for U.S. import.
This warning comes amid a broader national focus on food safety. Earlier this month, BrucePac, an Oklahoma-based company, recalled nearly 12 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. This recall has affected over 200 schools in 17 states that had received the contaminated products, heightening concerns about food safety in school cafeterias. The FSIS has worked to ensure public awareness of the recall, urging institutions and consumers to avoid these products, which could pose severe health risks.
The recent FSIS alerts and recalls add to a string of high-profile food safety incidents, including a July recall of Boar’s Head deli meats and an October recall of frozen waffles for potential Listeria contamination. Additionally, McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers were recently linked to an E. coli outbreak traced to onions from a supplier, resulting in dozens of infections. Experts note that while these incidents can appear to signal an increase in foodborne outbreaks, advancements in tracking and linking cases are improving the detection and response to food safety issues.