WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has recalled about 24,900 pounds of frozen chicken products after inspectors found what it described as false marks of inspection. The action was announced Wednesday, Aug. 26, by the department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service and affects foodservice businesses in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.
The recall covers two not-ready-to-eat items from Boston-based Shanghai Ravioli Corporation, Inc.: Buffalo chicken rangoon and Benedetto’s Buffalo chicken mozzarella sticks. FSIS said the products carry “EST. 18004” as the disputed inspection mark. The agency classified the case as Class I, its highest risk level, meaning there is a reasonable probability the products could cause serious health consequences or death.
What USDA Announced
FSIS said the recall was triggered by surveillance that identified the products as bearing false inspection marks. In its notice, the agency warned that food produced without inspection may contain undeclared allergens, harmful bacteria or other contaminants that could put consumer health and safety at risk.
The recalled items were distributed to foodservice businesses in New England rather than sold as a grocery-store consumer recall. FSIS said the products are frozen and not ready to eat. The agency also said businesses should not serve the products and should discard them or return them to the place of purchase.
How The Recall Arose
The USDA notice points to a problem the agency says it has been seeing more often in recent recalls involving imported foods. The products in this case were linked to a Boston company described by an industry trade site as a distributor of pasta and other goods, though the inspection notice itself does not list a country of origin for the chicken items.
Recent USDA actions for similar reasons have involved soup and bacon from Canada, according to the background cited in the recall notice. The latest case again centers on inspection and labeling concerns rather than a confirmed illness outbreak. FSIS has not said that anyone has gotten sick from the recalled products.
What Buyers Should Do
Foodservice operators in the five affected states should check frozen inventory for Buffalo chicken rangoon and Benedetto’s Buffalo chicken mozzarella sticks marked with EST. 18004. FSIS said businesses should not use the products and should either throw them away or return them to the place where they were bought.
Consumers who may have questions about the recall can check the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service notice for product details and distribution information. FSIS continues to list the case as a Class I recall, which signals the agency considers the risk serious enough to warrant immediate action by businesses that received the products.
More on health, care, money and the people nearby, on Westlake Arrow.