RECALL UPDATE: Public Health Alert Issued in Nine States Over Illegally Imported Food

According to News Week, The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a public health alert regarding illegally imported meat, fish, and poultry products from Myanmar. On Thursday, the FSIS announced that six cans and one vacuum-sealed package containing various food items, including meat, poultry, curry pastes, dried fish, and duck blood, were being sold in nine states across the country.

Background on Import Restrictions

Myanmar is not eligible to export meat or dairy products to the United States. Despite this, surveillance activities by the FSIS revealed that these products were being sold in American retail stores. The FSIS is currently investigating how these items entered the U.S. market.

Consumer and Retailer Guidance

The FSIS advises consumers not to consume any of the affected products. Instead, they should either throw them away or return them to the place of purchase. Retailers who may have stocked these items are urged not to sell them. As of now, there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions related to these products; however, the FSIS recommends that anyone concerned about potential illness consult a healthcare provider.

Details of Affected Products

The products in question do not have an establishment number or a USDA mark of inspection. They include cans under the brand name “BEST,” featuring:

• Beef Curry (180g)
• Chicken Biryani (425g)
• Myanmar Duck Blood (425g)

Additionally, canned pastes such as Hti Mi Gwik Dry MoHinGa Paste and Eain Chak MoHinGa Paste—both containing catfish—as well as Eain Chak Coconut Soup Paste containing chicken, are also part of the alert. The Min Thar Gyi Dried Fish is another affected item.

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These products were reportedly sold in various retail locations in:

• Arizona
• California
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Maryland
• Minnesota
• Nebraska
• Oklahoma
• Texas

Previous Alerts and Concerns

This incident follows a similar public health alert issued by the FSIS in August, when 17 meat and poultry products from Myanmar were also identified as illegally imported. Among those products, eight were curry-related and primarily sold under the brand name “Grandma.”

The previously recalled items included various types of fish and curries, highlighting ongoing concerns about food safety and proper import practices.

Additional Resources

Consumers with questions about food safety can reach out to the Department of Agriculture’s toll-free Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or send inquiries via email to MPHotline@usda.gov.

This public health alert comes amid rising concerns following a mass food-poisoning outbreak linked to McDonald’s and other recent recalls due to bacterial contamination, emphasizing the importance of vigilance in food safety practices.