The Recall Desk
Agency classPublic Health AlertOur severity:HighUSDA FSIS·pha-051122-01·Announced 2022-05-11

USDA Issues Public Health Alert for Organic Ground Beef Due to Plastic Contamination

USDA FSIS issued a public health alert for specific Organic Rancher ground beef products due to potential hard plastic contamination. No illnesses have been reported.

The agency’s classification

USDA FSIS: Public Health Alert

Public Health Alert is a warning FSIS issues when there is a food-safety concern but a recall is not requested, typically because the affected product is no longer available for purchase.

This is the agency’s own classification, taken from its notice. The severity score below is our assessment, not the agency’s. How recall classes work

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 3/5 (High).

Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a risk-of-harm product (foreign material in food) where injury has not yet been reported, fitting the criteria for a High severity score.

Plain-English summary

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alert for raw ground beef products produced by NPC Processing, LLC. The alert was issued because the ground beef may contain hard, rigid plastic. A formal recall was not requested because the products are no longer available for purchase.

The affected products are 16-oz. vacuum-sealed packages of “ORGANIC RANCHER ORGANIC GROUND BEEF 93% LEAN 7% FAT” and “ORGANIC RANCHER ORGANIC GROUND BEEF 85% LEAN 15% FAT,” both with a use-by date of May 18, 2022. These items bear establishment number EST. 4027 and were shipped to Whole Foods Market locations nationwide. The issue was identified after consumers reported finding hard plastic in the products.

There have been no confirmed reports of illness or adverse reactions from consuming these products. Consumers who have purchased these items are urged not to consume them and should throw them away or return them to the place of purchase.

The recalled product

Product
FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Raw Ground Beef Products Due to Foreign Material Contamination
Brand
NPC Processing, LLC
Manufacturer
NPC Processing, LLC
Category
Food — Ground Beef
Hazard

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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