The Recall Desk
Agency classPublic Health AlertOur severity:HighUSDA FSIS·PHA-09042020-01·Announced 2020-09-04

USDA Issues Public Health Alert for Ineligible Imported Cooked Duck Blood Curds

USDA FSIS issued a public health alert for imported cooked duck blood curds from China that lack required inspection certificates, making them unfit for human consumption.

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 product is deemed unfit for human consumption due to lack of inspection and potential pathogen risk to livestock, but no illnesses or injuries have been reported, fitting the criteria for a high-risk product where harm has not yet been reported.

Plain-English summary

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alert on September 4, 2020, for an undetermined amount of imported cooked duck blood curds from China. The product is sold in 10.58-ounce (300g) vacuum-packed packages labeled “Cooked Duck Blood Curds, DUCK BLOOD.” A formal recall was not requested because FSIS was unable to contact the importer, and the total quantity of ineligible product remains undetermined as the investigation is ongoing.

The product is ineligible for import into the United States because it does not identify an eligible establishment number on its packaging and was not presented to FSIS for import re-inspection. Additionally, FSIS has not received an official inspection certificate from the People’s Republic of China certifying the product as eligible. Consequently, the product is considered unfit for human consumption.

The issue was identified during an investigation with USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Retailers are urged not to sell the product. Consumers who purchased the product should not consume it and should properly discard it. To reduce the possibility of animals accessing the product, consumers are asked to double-bag it before discarding, as USDA cannot confirm whether the product was properly heated to control pathogens of concern to domestic livestock.

The recalled product

Product
FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Ineligible Imported Cooked Duck Blood Curds from China
Category
Food — Imported Meat Products
Hazard

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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