A meat recall is underway at Northern California's Rancho Feeding Corporation, which apparently processed diseased and unhealthy animals without a full federal inspection over the past 13 months. The beef products were subsequently shipped to distribution centers and retail stores in California, Florida, Illinois and Texas.
In total, the company is recalling more than 8.7 million pounds of beef which amounts to just over a year's worth of meat products processed by the facility,
the Associated Press reported.
According to U.S. officials, the meat products lacked a complete inspection from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and due to the poor health of some of the animals being slaughtered at the facility was unfit for human consumption.
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"Thus, the products are adulterated, because they are unsound, unwholesome or otherwise are unfit for human food and must be removed from commerce," according to a statement by the FSIS.
In its recall notice, the FSIS further indicated that there exists a "reasonable probability" that consumption could result in "serious, adverse health consequences or death,"
CNN reported.
The time period in which the questionable meat was processed was between Jan. 1, 2013 and Jan. 7, 2014. Among the meat products in particular that are affected by the recall are beef carcasses, oxtail, liver, cheeks, tripe, tongue and veal bones, the AP noted.
All products recalled bear the establishment number "EST. 527" inside the USDA mark of inspection and have a case code number ending in 3 or 4,
Reuters reported.
In January, Rancho Feeding Corporation issued another recall consisting of more than 40,000 pounds of meat products produced on Jan. 8 that also didn't undergo a full inspection.
The recall stemmed from an ongoing investigation by the FSIS, according to the agency. Thus far there have been no instances of illness as a result of the recalled meat.
The company did not respond to numerous media inquiries.
Including Rancho Feeding Corporation's recall there have been 14 beef, pork or poultry recalls from California to Pennsylvania so far this year by the FSIS.
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