The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) : Daisyfield Sausage Products Recalled Due To Potential Rubber Contamination

Recent product recalls issued in the United States have included the likes of salads, tampons, blood pressure medication, and infant ibuprofen. Now, pork sausage products are set to be joining the list.

The Department of Agriculture has announced a recall of nearly one ton of Daisyfield brand pork sausage. It was referred to as a "Class I Recall" which means that the potential health risks are of serious nature. The announcement was published on their website January 9.

What are they being recalled for?

J. H. Routh Packing Co. of Sandusky, Ohio is recalling approximately 1,719 pounds of raw pork sausage products that "may be contaminated with extraneous materials," the release stated. Specifically, the sausage was said to be contaminated with rubber.

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) expressed concern that these products may be present in refrigerators or freezers of retailers and consumers. If you have bought one or more of the items affected by the recall, you should safely dispose off them or return them to the place of purchase.

How can I find out if my product is affected?

The raw ground pork bulk and link sausage items were all produced during the first week of 2019, namely from January 1 through January 4. Labeled under the "Daisyfield Brand," they come in 5-lb. plastic or paper-lined cardboard packages.

The products were shipped to retail locations in the states of Kentucky, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. They can be identified by the establishment number "EST. 818" inside the federal inspection mark. You can read the complete list — and also view the labels — of the affected products on the USDA website. 

How does this kind of contamination occur?

"The most frequently reported recalls for plastic and rubber contamination are food sectors that use higher levels of mechanical methods, such as poultry and red meat processing, cereals and bakery and confectionary," Derrick Blunden wrote last year for Food Quality & Safety.

The article also cited data from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), estimating that food recalls in North America due to such types of contamination increased by 180 percent from 2015 to 2017. 

Have consumers reported any adverse reactions?

So far, there have not been any complaints or reports of people suffering illnesses or other adverse reactions due to the consumption of these products. The firm appears to have detected the problem themselves. They proceeded to notify the FSIS about the contaminant on January 7.

If you suspect any injury or illness, see a medical professional as soon as possible. To ask any other questions about the recall, consumers are advised to get in touch with Tony Stearns, the director of sales at J. H. Routh Packing, Co. at (419) 626-2251.