Maple Leaf Food recalls boneless pork shoulders in US

Maple Leaf Food, a Canada-based firm, has recalled approximately 4,030lbs of boneless pork shoulder products, as they were not presented at the US point-of-entry for inspection.

According to the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the products have been recalled as there could be a possibility of adverse health consequences, as they have not passed through full inspection.

The Boneless Pork Shoulder Boston Butt products were imported on 31 October. The company has recalled 62lb cartons of Pork Shoulder Blade Boneless ¼" COV 2X4.

The products being recalled carry establishment number ‘007’ inside Canada’s mark of inspection. These products were shipped to several retail locations in California.

An import inspector during routine FSIS monitoring of imported products found this problem on 3 November 2015.

The inspector found that while three lots on one certificate had been presented to him, inspected and passed, a fourth lot on a different certificate had not been presented, and entered the US without going through inspection.

So far, there have been no reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of the pork products.

The FSIS has urged people concerned about a reaction to contact a healthcare provider.

Consumers who have purchased these products have also been urged to discard the product or return them to the place of purchase.

The company is nearing a restructuring plan, which it began in 2010 and last month, reported a profit of $29.8m in the third quarter, compared to a loss of $19.8m in the corresponding period of last fiscal year.

In the last 11 quarters, this is only the second profit it has registered.

The firm manufactures products under several brands, which include Schneiders, Maple Leaf, Shopsy’s, Hygrade, and Swift labels.