‘Sell By’ Date No Assurance That Recall Won’t Take Place is the headline of an ABC News article today.
Don’t assume the hamburger or hot dog you’re eating this Labor Day weekend is free and clear of the possibility of a health-related recall.
Federal meat recalls are not always instantaneous and sometimes can occur weeks or months after meat hits the grill.
That’s because although inspectors are required in production plants, bacteria are often invisible and not all meat is scientifically tested for contamination.
From the article:
“We don’t have the resources to test every single batch of meat that is produced in the United States,” says Elijah Walker, associate deputy administrator for the Office of Public Health And Science, which falls under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.
Pathogens Discovered Months Later
As a result, unidentified tainted meat sometimes goes to market, only to be discovered and recalled weeks or months afterwards, a database on the FSIS Web site shows.Continue Reading No Expiration on Recall Risk