The Recall Desk
Agency classPublic Health AlertOur severity:HighUSDA FSIS·pha-051617·Announced 2017-05-16

USDA Issues Alert for Imported Veal Due to E. coli O103 Contamination

USDA FSIS issued a public health alert for imported raw veal products potentially contaminated with E. coli O103. 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 high-risk pathogen (E. coli O103) without reported illnesses, which aligns with the rubric 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 on May 16, 2017, regarding approximately 424 pounds of raw veal products imported from the Netherlands. The products, produced by EKRO B.V. and imported by MRW Food Brokers, Inc., may be contaminated with Non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O103. The affected items include chilled Boneless Veal Cap, Boneless Veal BHS, Boneless Veal Inside, and Boned In Veal Rack Chop, distributed to restaurants and grocery stores in Florida and Massachusetts.

The contamination was identified when an FSIS sample of imported raw veal stew meat tested positive for STEC O103. While no confirmed illnesses have been reported, the bacterium can cause severe symptoms including dehydration, bloody diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. In some cases, it can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure that is particularly dangerous for children under 5 and older adults.

Consumers who have purchased these specific products are urged not to consume them. The products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. Individuals concerned about potential illness should contact a health care provider. For more information, consumers can visit AskKaren.gov or call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854.

The recalled product

Product
FSIS Issues Public Health Alert For Imported Veal Products Due To Possible Non-O157 Shiga toxin producing E. coli (STEC) O103 Contamination
Category
Food — Raw Meat
Hazard

Distribution

Distributed in 2 states:

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