New Jersey Firm Recalls Sliced Pepperoni

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6, 2003— Atalanta Corp., an Elizabeth, N.J, export firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately 500 pounds of sliced pepperoni products that are mislabeled as pork, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today. The products have been imported from Canada.

The products being recalled are 10 lb. boxes of:

• "SILA, SLICED PEPPERONI, SMOKE FLAVOR ADDED, PCN: 33401." Each label also bears the establishment number "162" inside the Canadian mark of inspection.

Each 10-lb. box contains two 5-lb. bags, which also contain the label listed above. The products were produced on July 2, 2003 and distributed to hotels, restaurants and institutions in New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia.

In the course of conducting a species identification test of the pepperoni, FSIS laboratory results indicated the presence of beef in the product. FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of this product. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a physician.

The discovery is a technical violation of the ban on the import of beef into this country from Canada. However, a subsequent investigation, launched immediately after the lab results were made known, revealed that the Canadian manufacturing plant making the product used a combination of Australian, New Zealand and United States beef during the production of the pepperoni. No Canadian beef was used as an ingredient.

Consumers and media with questions about the recall may contact Albert Pish at (908) 351-8000.

Consumers with food safety questions can phone the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at l-800-535-4555. The hotline is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.

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NOTE: Access news releases and other information at the FSIS Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov

FSIS AND LABELS

USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline
1-800-535-4555 or visit www.fsis.usda.gov

FSIS requires that labels must be informative, truthful, and accurate.

FSIS is responsible for verifying that labels bear mandatory features and other required information in a conspicuous and legible manner.

FSIS wants to ensure that incorrectly labeled products are kept out of consumers’ hands by identifying and removing them from the marketplace as quickly and efficiently as possible.

FSIS wants consumers to be aware of the possibility of economic adulteration and have sufficient information to identify such mislabeled products and take action.