Check your freezer if you buy Kroger beef: A supplier that provides the grocer with meat issued a recall of over 35,000 pounds of raw ground beef because packages could be contaminated with hard plastic.
The Kroger beef — sold under various labels like Kroger Ground Beef, All Natural Laura’s Lean Beef and JBS Ground Beef Angus Chuck — are stamped with “EST. 34176” inside the USDA mark of inspection.
The problem started when consumers reported pieces of hard, blue plastic on the Kroger beef, according to the USDA. Luckily, no one has been injured by the plastic but “consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them,” the USDA said in a statement.
“These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.”
A full list of recalled products can be found on the USDA website.
Is there a recall on romaine lettuce?
There may be a Kroger beef recall, but there’s still no romaine lettuce recall.
The first death related to the romaine lettuce E. coli outbreak was announced on Thursday, but officials have stopped short of a recall because they’ve isolated the tainted lettuce to producers in Yuma, Arizona.
Peter Cassell with the FDA’s Food Safety said they “cannot be certain” that romaine lettuce from the region “is no longer in the supply chain.” The reason: The shipped romaine lettuce has a 21-day shelf life, meaning it could be out there.
Many grocers and restaurants have opted to pull all bags of romaine lettuce from shelves and plates as a precaution. If you do have — or plan to buy — romaine lettuce, you should check that it didn’t originate in Yuma before you eat it.
Between the romaine lettuce E. coli scare and the Kroger beef recall, t’s a good thing that Cinco de Mayo is this weekend — pass the chips, guac and margaritas!
