An urgent warning has been issued in three states after more than 7,500 pounds of raw sausage meat was recalled for containing potentially deadly ingredients.
Impero Foods & Meats, based in Baltimore, Maryland, produced raw pork sausages without being inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
The FSIS says the products “were not processed to meet safety standards, posing a risk to public health.”
The product was shipped to restaurants and retail establishments in Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania.
The raw Italian pork sausages were produced from October 3 to December 19 and have the establishment number ‘EST’. 10827′ within the USDA inspection mark.
The recalled products are white cardboard boxes that weigh 10 pounds and “contain old world Italian sausage.”
Some of the boxes have “rope” handwritten on the box, referring to the way the sausages were divided, while other lots have “link” written on the boxes.
The government agency designated the recall as Class I, describing it as a “health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that use of the product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.”
More than 7,500 pounds of raw sausage meat have been recalled across the United States for being potentially harmful to eat.
FSIS warns that some products may have been sold at retail deli counters without labels or other identification.
The issue was discovered when FSIS was conducting surveillance activities at a retailer that was notified that items may have been produced at a facility that had a suspended inspection grant.
After further investigation, it was determined that the items were produced without the benefit of an FSIS check.
To date, there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions from consumption of these products.
Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact a healthcare provider.
FSIS is concerned that some products may be in refrigerators or freezers at retailers or restaurants.
Retailers and restaurants are urged not to sell or serve these products.
The sausage meat was shipped to restaurants and retail establishments in Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania.
They are instructed to discard the products or return them to the place of purchase.
Jerry Vitale, owner of Impero Foods & Meats, told Newsweek that his company “followed the FSIS recommendation and voluntarily recalled any products that were in commerce.”
The company, in business since 1985, states on its website that it operates its own USDA-inspected meat processing facility.
He adds: ‘Our butchers, specializing in European-style cuts of beef, have decades of experience.
‘We can offer fresh Italian sausages, ground meats (beef, veal, pork or a mix), veal and chicken.
‘We also have rabbit, wild boar, duck and quail, as well as Italian meats such as prosciutto, pancetta, coppa and sopressata. ‘