According to a USDA press release, Santa Maria Foods Corporation was forced to recall 8,895 pounds of meat that missed a US border inspection on its way into California. The thousands of pounds of salami, mortadella, sopressata, and "Jambon de Paris Cooked Ham", were imported into the U.S. without a proper USDA inspection. The food is not believed to be tainted in any way, but without proper inspection, the meat could pose a risk.
According to the report, "The problem was discovered when FSIS import staff reviewed records and discovered that the product was not presented by the independent third party carrier for USDA inspection at the U.S. - Canadian border." These same foods were exported to other countries from the US, including Tahiti, Australia, Thailand and Fiji.
The meats bear the establishment number "340" or "224", and have been distributed to Arizona and Florida as well. The Food Safety Inspection Service, or FSIS, claims that no illness has been linked to the product as of yet.
- The list of products that are being recalled in full, is as follows:
Sopressata Salami, code: 2014AL30 - Milano Salami, code: 2014JN17
- Calabrese Salami Hot, code: 2014JL08 / 2014JN17
- Sopressata Round, code: 2014JL22
- Sopressata Salami, code: 2014JL09
- Mortadella with Pistachios, code: 2014AL09
- Jambon de Paris Cooked Ham, code: 2014AL05 / 2014AL10 / 2014AL10 / 2014AL10 / 2014AL22
- Mortadella, code: 2014MR20
Anyone with questions or concerns have been encouraged to contact Santa Maria Foods at 1-888-886-4428. The company could not be reached for comment as to why the food missed border inspection, as well as to the cost of the recall.
