California Firm Recalls Unwholesome Meat Products

[presmudjo]

http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USFSIS/bulletins/a433b6

This just came in my email. I get recall email, but never one like this. This company has been having issues lately, but nothing like this. Maybe if they had the benefit of federal inspection, it would all be ok.

 

[cross_7]

http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USFSIS/bulletins/a433b6

This just came in my email. I get recall email, but never one like this. This company has been having issues lately, but nothing like this. Maybe if they had the benefit of federal inspection, it would all be ok.

I can't tell based on that if there was a violation

 

[presmudjo]

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal...-archive/archive/2014/recall-013-2014-release
This has the whole article. Class I recall.

 

[Jogeephus]

Maybe if they had the benefit of federal inspection, it would all be ok.

It sounds like it would be alright. Sounds like a clerical error on someone's part.

From what I gather they are a coop made up of a lot of grass fed, organic, sustainable cattle production folks who are working a niche market. Not sure but I suspect they are a Talmadge-Aiken Plant which is a state inspected but under agreement with the feds and the state guys can use the federal stamp but if the Feds feel the State is falling short in their duties they will cancel the arrangement leaving the processor out to dry whether there were any safety issues or not. Could just be a clerical error on the DotGov's part.

Only other thing that makes me wonder is some of the claims made by the members of the coop. Several of their producers market older cattle - 5 years plus - saying this is the natural way and much better than the medieval cruel practices used by uninformed backward cattle producers today. So a concern over prions in the meat may be justified if they are marketing steaks and such. Or they could have just pi$$ed the wrong person off with their finger pointing.

 

[mwj]

Maybe if they had the benefit of federal inspection, it would all be ok.

It sounds like it would be alright. Sounds like a clerical error on someone's part.

From what I gather they are a coop made up of a lot of grass fed, organic, sustainable cattle production folks who are working a niche market. Not sure but I suspect they are a Talmadge-Aiken Plant which is a state inspected but under agreement with the feds and the state guys can use the federal stamp but if the Feds feel the State is falling short in their duties they will cancel the arrangement leaving the processor out to dry whether there were any safety issues or not. Could just be a clerical error on the DotGov's part.

Only other thing that makes me wonder is some of the claims made by the members of the coop. Several of their producers market older cattle - 5 years plus - saying this is the natural way and much better than the medieval cruel practices used by uninformed backward cattle producers today. So a concern over prions in the meat may be justified if they are marketing steaks and such. Or they could have just pi$$ed the wrong person off with their finger pointing.

I tried to find info on the company and all I came up with is the recall info. It does seem strange since the last recall is for the full years production. From what I gather the USDA complaint is over preslaughter inspection. In most big plants that only amounts to walking the pens and making sure everything moves under its own power.

 

[Jogeephus]

It took a lot of digging and I had some links saved to a draft which somehow just vanished from my computer. (sorry internet connection here) But it looked like the company was a smaller outfit dealing mostly with the farm to table niche brands. One of the producer's websites made some pretty strong claims and guaranteed their meat was only taken from mature animals. From what little I know about processing this is a red flag in most cases due to BSE. Other than that the processing facility looked clean enough - maybe a little outdated - maybe not enough stainless steel like the big boys have - or maybe not "food grade stainless", but I did see where they won an industry award for processing from Koche. But like you say there is very little specific information about the reasons why. I guess this takes some investigative effort on the part of the press and with the multitude of food regulations this might prove too daunting for someone with a liberal arts degree in journalism.

My gut feeling is there is nothing much to this other than bureaucracy. Someone didn't check a box or fill out a form. Heck, they may not have donated to the Ag Secretary's campaign fund. Stranger things have happened. But as long as the sheep are herded tight and they are safe - who cares - right?

 

[greybeard]

Other than "beef Carcasses" it Looks like mostly guts to me.

News Release
California Firm Recalls Unwholesome Meat Products Produced Without the Benefit of Full Inspection
Class I Recall 013-2014
Health Risk: High Feb 8, 2014
Congressional and Public Affairs
Stacy Kish
(202) 720-9113



WASHINGTON, Feb. 8, 2014 – Rancho Feeding Corporation, a Petaluma, Calif. establishment, is recalling approximately 8,742,700 pounds, because it processed diseased and unsound animals and carried out these activities without the benefit or full benefit of federal inspection. Thus, the products are adulterated, because they are unsound, unwholesome or otherwise are unfit for human food and must be removed from commerce, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The following Rancho Feeding Corporation products are subject to recall:

"Beef Carcasses" (wholesale and custom sales only)
2 per box "Beef (Market) Heads" (retail only)
4-gallons per box "Beef Blood" (wholesale only)
20-lb. boxes of "Beef Oxtail"
30-lb. boxes of "Beef Cheeks"
30-lb. boxes of " Beef Lips"
30-lb. boxes of "Beef Omasum"
30-lb. boxes of "Beef Tripas"
30-lb. boxes of "Mountain Oysters"
30-lb. boxes of "Sweet Breads"
30- and 60-lb. boxes of "Beef Liver"
30- and 60-lb. boxes of "Beef Tripe"
30- and 60-lb. boxes of "Beef Tongue"
30- and 60-lb. boxes of "Veal Cuts"
40-lb. boxes of "Veal Bones"
50-lb. boxes of "Beef Feet"
50-lb. boxes of "Beef Hearts"
60-lb. boxes of "Veal Trim"

 

[TexasBred]

GB guess there is no reason to ride over to CB's for lunch this week. He won't have any "cow lips or cow feet".

 

[mwj]

Other than "beef Carcasses" it Looks like mostly guts to me.

News Release
California Firm Recalls Unwholesome Meat Products Produced Without the Benefit of Full Inspection
Class I Recall 013-2014
Health Risk: High Feb 8, 2014
Congressional and Public Affairs
Stacy Kish
(202) 720-9113



WASHINGTON, Feb. 8, 2014 – Rancho Feeding Corporation, a Petaluma, Calif. establishment, is recalling approximately 8,742,700 pounds, because it processed diseased and unsound animals and carried out these activities without the benefit or full benefit of federal inspection. Thus, the products are adulterated, because they are unsound, unwholesome or otherwise are unfit for human food and must be removed from commerce, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The following Rancho Feeding Corporation products are subject to recall:

"Beef Carcasses" (wholesale and custom sales only)
2 per box "Beef (Market) Heads" (retail only)
4-gallons per box "Beef Blood" (wholesale only)
20-lb. boxes of "Beef Oxtail"
30-lb. boxes of "Beef Cheeks"
30-lb. boxes of " Beef Lips"
30-lb. boxes of "Beef Omasum"
30-lb. boxes of "Beef Tripas"
30-lb. boxes of "Mountain Oysters"
30-lb. boxes of "Sweet Breads"
30- and 60-lb. boxes of "Beef Liver"
30- and 60-lb. boxes of "Beef Tripe"
30- and 60-lb. boxes of "Beef Tongue"
30- and 60-lb. boxes of "Veal Cuts"
40-lb. boxes of "Veal Bones"
50-lb. boxes of "Beef Feet"
50-lb. boxes of "Beef Hearts"
60-lb. boxes of "Veal Trim"

Go look at the cutout on beef and slaughter cows and you will see that it is all sold to someone. Google the current ''drop value'' for slaughter steers and it will give the value of by products on a per live-weight pound basis. I was amazed that scalded beef lips were worth more than beef liver. :shock:

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Beef lips are an ingredient in many brands of beef sticks similar to Slim Jims. They are NOT, however, in Slim Jims (the real ones).

Katherine

 

[greybeard]

Go look at the cutout on beef and slaughter cows and you will see that it is all sold to someone. Google the current ''drop value'' for slaughter steers and it will give the value of by products on a per live-weight pound basis. I was amazed that scalded beef lips were worth more than beef liver.

I've seen it. That "someone" nowadays means a lot of it goes to Russia. They're big on variety meats over there.

 

[greybeard]

This is back in the news. Nestle just announced a big recall on it's Hot Pocket foods due to this beef recall.

http://www.nestleusa.com/media/pressrel ... nd-cheese-

Mostly in Calif.

 

[Nesikep]

I fail to see how you can get veal from a mature animal.

There really isn't much information about why this stuff really got recalled...
"Unwholesome" beef... isn't that what you get at fast food places?

 

[greybeard]

Someone probably realized not all the cattle being processed had black hides. :hide:

 

[suzorse]

When I was a kid Rancho bought a lot of the drop calves at the sale, and calves that could not even get up (downers) I asked the guy loading out the calves what they did with the downers and he said as long as they were alive when they got there they were made into hot dogs/bologna ( ick) I know they were also order buyers for veal producers , the big strong thick Holstein bull calves ,
this was the 70s and 80s Suzanne

 

[ibetyamissedme]

I fail to see how you can get veal from a mature animal.

There really isn't much information about why this stuff really got recalled...
"Unwholesome" beef... isn't that what you get at fast food places?

at one time they also did custom processing for a private veal company, I assume they must still do that.