PL Food, LLC, a West Columbia, S.C. establishment, is recalling approximately 5,820 pounds of ground beef chuck that may contain small pieces of plastic, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The following product is subject to recall:
• 80 oz. (5 lb.) chubs of "80% Lean 20% Fat All Natural Ground Beef Chuck"
The establishment number "EST 332B" and the sell by date "03/27/2013" are inkjetted on each package. The products were packaged on March 7, 2013, and were sold in retail stores in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.
The problem was discovered after the company received three consumer complaints. The pieces of plastic are believed to be pieces of a blue plastic liner that covers source material used to produce the final ground product. FSIS and the company have received no reports of injury at this time. Anyone concerned about an injury from consumption of these products should contact a healthcare provider.
FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify that recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers.
Consumers and media with questions about the recall should contact FPL Food Customer Service at (706) 922-3920.
Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at www.AskKaren.gov or via smartphone at m.askkaren.gov. "Ask Karen" live chat services are available Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.
