USDA Warns Chicken And Beef Empanadas Sold With Fake Inspection Mark

The USDA has issued a Class I recall involving thousands of pounds of chicken and beef empanadas that it says were sold in the US without inspection. A tip led to the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) investigating the matter, at which point it found the food products were sold featuring a 'false USDA mark of inspection.'

The recall comes from SAS Foods Enterprise Inc of Illinois. Around 3,768lbs of the food products that were shipped to retail stores in several states are covered by the matter. The products were, according to the notice, made at various points from January 1 of last year through September 11, 2021.

The products were sold under the names "SAS Food Empanadas de Pollo Chicken Patties" and "SAS Food Empanadas de Carne Beef Patties." The food items were packaged in clear plastic containers or zip-lock bags in 1lb weights.

Consumers who may still have some of these frozen empanadas in their freezers can identify them by the establishment number featured in the false USDA mark of inspection. Some retailers in Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, and Wisconsin received the frozen chicken and beef empanada products.

Fortunately, the USDA says that it hasn't received any 'confirmed reports' regarding issues among those who ate these frozen foods. Anyone who still has some of these empanadas in their freezers are advised to either return them for a refund or throw them away uneaten.