Consumers are being advised against eating certain pork fat products. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) on July 7 issued a public health alert for rendered pork fat products. The notice, however, was not issued due to typical reasons of possible contamination. Instead, the USDA recalled the products because they were produced without the benefit of federal inspection.
The public health notice is in relation to rendered pork fat items. The specific item is the 1.8-pound plastic container of “MANTECA RENDERED PORK FAT DON PANCHITO.” The products were produced on various dates from Nov. 26, 2021, to April 29, 2022, and bear the establishment number “EST. 19900” inside the USDA mark of inspection. A label for the product can be viewed here. The notice seems to be limited in scope, however, as the products were only shipped to a warehouse distributor in Bronx, New York.
Videos by PopCulture.com
The FSIS noted that “a recall was not requested because the products are no longer available for purchase.” However, there is still some concern regarding the product, with the FSIS noting that it “is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators or pantries.” The concern surrounding the product has to do with the fact that the rendered pork fat products were produced and shipped into commerce without the benefit of FSIS inspection. As such, the products “are misbranded due to the unauthorized use of the marks of federal inspection.” The FSIS said it was alerted to the issue by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.
At this time, there have been no confirmed reports of illness or adverse reactions due to consumption of the rendered pork fat products. Still, consumers who purchased the products before they were no longer available for purchase are urged not to consume them. The products should instead be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. Those concerned about an illness or reaction to the product should contact a healthcare provider.
The FSIS public health notice marks just the latest cause for concern for consumers. Earlier this month, hundreds of bags of Lavender Shortbread Cookies that were sold at Target were recalled after J&M Foods was alerted to a packaging mixup that resulted in the cookies being packed with Chocolate Chip Cookies, posing an allergy risk to some consumers. Vidalia onions sold at popular grocery stores including Wegmans and Publix were also recently recalled after they were found to potentially be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
