USDA warns about Jamaican Vienna sausages; Colombian snack chips also recalled
The USDA warned shoppers not to eat Grace brand chicken Vienna sausages that were illegally brought in from Jamaica and sold in five states. Separately, a Miami importer recalled Yupi snack chips with Colombian pork cracklings sold in eight states. No one has been reported sick in either case.
Federal food safety officials are warning about two imported meat products that never passed U.S. inspection.
First, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a public health alert Tuesday for canned chicken Vienna sausages from Jamaica. Jamaica is not allowed to export meat or poultry to the United States, the agency said. The alert covers 140-gram cans of "Grace Ready to Eat Chicken Vienna Sausages" and the Hot & Spicy version, no matter the date on the can. The cans carry "EST. NO G-01" inside the Jamaica inspection mark.
The importer sent the cans to stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland and Texas, Food Safety News and WGCU reported. Inspectors found them during routine checks of imported food. The agency is still investigating how they got into the country.
Second, a Miami importer, Inexport Logistics, is recalling about 189 pounds of Colombian mixed snack chips. The 60-gram foil bags of "Yupi Golpe Con Todo Sabor BBQ" mix potato chips, plantain chips and chicharrón, or pork cracklings. Colombia is not eligible to export meat products to the U.S., and the bags have no import marks. They went to stores in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota and Texas, Food World News reported.
Inspectors spotted the chips during a follow-up visit to a store to check on a different recall. It is the second recall of Colombian chicharrón snacks this fall. In September, the agency recalled De Todito potato chips with pork cracklings, Food World News reported.
Why it matters: U.S. law lets meat come only from countries whose inspection systems match U.S. standards. Without that, regulators can't be sure about animal health checks or plant cleanliness. The problem here is the missing inspection, not a test showing germs.
What to do: Don't eat either product. Throw it away or return it to the store. Questions about food safety can go to the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854.
What we know: Neither product passed U.S. meat inspection, and no one has reported getting sick.
What we don't: How the Jamaican sausages entered the country and how many cans were sold.
Where outlets agree Food Safety News and WGCU both report the alert covers 140-gram cans of Grace chicken Vienna sausages, plain and Hot & Spicy, sent to stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland and Texas.
Where they differ The USDA has not said how the Jamaican sausages got into the country, and its investigation is still open.