Ohio among states warned to avoid using illegally imported meat, poultry from Philippines

WASHINGTON — Retailers and restaurants in Ohio are among the locations and states targeted for a public health alert Wednesday night about ineligible ready-to-eat meat and poultry products illegally imported from the Philippines.

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued the alert. The Philippines is a country not eligible to export meat and poultry products to the United States. FSIS is continuing to investigate how these products entered the country.

The following products are subject to the public health alert, regardless of the product date: “Argentina” brand corned beef, “Purfoods” brand corned beef, “Chunkee” brand corned beef and “Lady’s Choice Chicken Spread.”

The products subject to the public health alert do not bear any producing establishment information. These items were shipped to restaurant and retail locations in Ohio as well as Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.

FSIS investigators discovered the problem while performing routine surveillance activities at a retailer and found meat and poultry products from the Philippines.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions because of consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider.

FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ and restaurants’ pantries and on retailers’ shelves. Retailers who have purchased the products are urged not to sell them.

Consumers and restaurants who have purchased these products are urged not to consume or serve them. Consumers are asked to double bag the product when discarding it to reduce the possibility of animals accessing the product because USDA cannot confirm whether the products were properly heated to control pathogens of concern to domestic livestock and poultry.

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