The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced that the Standard Meat Company, based in Saginaw, Texas, is recalling 53,154 pounds of top sirloin sold to restaurants nation-wide because of potential Salmonella contamination. Although the meat was sold to restaurants and not retail locations, consumers are asked to throw out any leftover meals that might contain the beef product.
The marinated top sirloin items were produced this year between Feb. 19 and March 14. The potential contamination comes not from the beef, but from an Au Jus Seasoning marinade that tested positive for the presence of Salmonella, a bacteria that can cause illness.
Standard Meat Company
These products, which have establishment number "EST. 33861" inside the USDA mark of inspection, are subject to the beef recall:
- Approximate 20-lb. boxes containing "USDA Select or Higher Beef 6 oz Top Sirloin Steak Mechanically Tenderized" with case code 45966.
- Approximate 30-lb. boxes containing "USDA Select or Higher Beef 8 oz Top Sirloin Steak Mechanically Tenderized" with case code 45968.
Fortunately, there have been no reports yet of people getting sick after eating the recalled products. The problem was discovered when Standard Meat Company was notified that the seasoning used in their marinade was part of a voluntary recall because testing indicated the presence of Salmonella.
Standard Meat Company
Eating food contaminated with the bacteria can cause adverse reactions in the form of salmonellosis, one of the most common forms of food-borne illness. The most common symptoms of salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating the contaminated food; usually the symptoms last 4 to 7 days and most people recover without treatment.
Older adults, infants, and persons with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop a severe illness so if there are any questions about illness after consuming the meat prior to the recall, contact your health care provider.
You can find out more information about FSIS recalls on the government agency's website and you can also ask any food safety questions 24 hours a day online or via their mobile app. You can also call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854), which is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.
In the last month, FSIS has recalled ground beef and pork products sold at retail locations in Oregon, Utah, and Washington state due to potential contamination by the E. coli bacteria, as well as other smoked sausage products after consumers found plastic inside the pork product.
