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Nearly 2.6 million pounds of canned meat has been recalled due to packaging problems that could cause the food to rot — or allow pathogens to enter and infect it.
Conagra Brands, based in Fort Madison, Iowa, remembers the flaws. Brands whose products have been recalled include Goya, Kroger, and Great Value meats.
A total of 18 products were affected. Products were produced between December 12 and January 12 and sold nationwide.
Canned meat is shelf stable — unlike fresh or frozen meat — because the seal can protect it from pathogens that cause it to rot or become infected by pathogens. As long as the can itself remains in good condition, the canned meat can last for decades.
Goya Vienna Sausages are among 18 canned meat products recalled by the USDA due to potential packaging issues. It is feared that damaged packaging could cause foodborne illness
Leakage of liquids from the can, found in these cases, indicates that the protection against spoilage is no longer present.
Meat will spoil very quickly if left unsealed and refrigerated.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recall comes days after 27 tons of deli foods were recalled by the agency for possible listeria contamination.
The USDA is not yet reporting any cases of illness associated with this recall.
But agency food safety experts are concerned that the unsafe meat is currently in the pantries of many Americans.
The packaging problems were discovered when leakage came from certain cans.
They urge customers to check whether recently purchased canned meats are high in P4247 – and to throw them away or return them if they are.
“The cans being recalled may have been damaged in a way not readily apparent to consumers, allowing foodborne pathogens to enter the cans,” Conagra said in a statement.
Spoiled meat is often infected with foodborne bacteria such as Penicillium, Mucor, Cladosporium, Alternaria, Sporotrichium and Thamnidium.
Symptoms associated with infections from these bacteria include vomiting, nausea, headache, diarrhea and stomach cramps.
A person may not feel symptoms of eating contaminated meat until days later.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 48 million annual foodborne illnesses each year.
These cases are responsible for 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths each year, the agency reports.
