USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a public health alert for an undetermined amount of imported cooked duck blood curds from China. Yes, that is correct, the public health alert is for imported cooked duck blood curds from China.
FSIS has been unable to contact the importer to demand a recall. The total amount of ineligible products is undetermined because the investigation is ongoing.
The following product is subject to the public health alert:
- 10.58 OZ. (300g), vacuum-packed packages containing “Cooked Duck Blood Curds, DUCK BLOOD.”
The cooked duck blood curds product does not identify an eligible establishment number on its packaging and was not presented to FSIS for import re-inspection. FSIS has not received an official inspection certificate issued by the People’s Republic of China to certify this product as eligible. Therefore, this product is ineligible to import into the U.S., making it unfit for human consumption.
The problem was identified through an investigation with USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). FSIS will continue working with APHIS on the ongoing investigation.
Retailers who have purchased the product are urged not to sell it. Consumers who purchased the product should not consume it and properly discard it. Consumers are asked to double bag the product when discarding it to reduce the possibility of animals accessing the product because the USDA cannot confirm whether the cooked duck blood curds were properly heated to control pathogens of concern to domestic livestock.
There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider.
(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here)