USDA Issued Public Health Alert for Raw Beef Sold at Aldi Stores

USDA Choice Black Angus Beef packaged on July 25, 2023. Courtesy of U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alert over concerns that a raw beef product sold at Aldi grocery stores may be contaminated.

The FSIS said the raw beef may contain soft, clear plastic. While the product is no longer on store shelves, federal health officials issued the alert to ensure that consumers are aware that this product should not be consumed.

The affected raw beef product was packaged on July 25 that bears the establishment number Est. 85M on the back label. The 1.5-lb. plastic tray packages contained “USDA Choice Black Angus Beef from Aldi, Beef for Carne Picada” with a “Use or Freeze by” date of Aug. 22 and a timestamp between 08:43 and 09:23.

The product was sold nationwide at the discount retailer’s stores. Consumers who purchased this product are urged to throw it away or return it to the Aldi store for a full refund.

The issue was discovered when Aldi notified FSIS after receiving a complaint from one of its stores, saying that soft, clear plastic was in the product. So far, there have been no confirmed reports of injury or illness due to consumption of this product. Those with health concerns are urged to contact their health care provider.

Anyone with questions about the public health alert can call Cargill at 844-419-1574. Consumers can also call USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854 or live chat through Ask USDA from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday.

To report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours daily at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.

Recent Recalls

The health alert comes after another grocery store chain recently issued several products.

Trader Joe’s announced on July 28 that its “Fully Cooked Falafel” (SKU# 93935) “may contain rocks.”

The products were being sold to the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Washington, D.C.

The announcement comes just a day after Trader Joe’s said its “Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup” (SKU# 68470) is being recalled as it “may contain insects.” The specific products have use by dates of July 18 to Sept. 15. “No known adverse health effects” had been reported as of July 27.

The seven states affected are California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (pdf).

On July 25, Trader Joe’s recalled two cookie products because they may contain rocks. The products are its “Almond Windmill Cookies” and “Dark Chocolate Chunk and Almond Cookies,” with specific sell-by dates affected.

The grocery chain advised customers not to consume the recalled products and either discard them or return them to Trader Joe’s for a full refund.

Mimi Nguyen Ly contributed to this report.