USDA Recalls Nearly 30,000 Pounds of Beef Due to Inspection Failure

Aventura, Fla. – Corte Argentino USA, a beef importer based in Aventura, Florida, is recalling nearly 30,000 pounds of raw beef from Argentina. The recall was initiated because the shipments failed to complete the final, mandatory U.S. import inspection.

The affected beef was produced between May 15 and May 20 of this year and distributed to retail and food service locations in Florida and Texas. The U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) classified the recall as a medium to high risk, warning that consumption could lead to "serious, adverse health consequences or death." No illnesses have been reported to date.

U.S. imported food products are subject to three levels of inspection. Corte Argentino's beef successfully passed initial screenings by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, but it bypassed the final FSIS inspection. This final step is crucial for verifying product safety and detecting potential contaminants.

The recall includes five specific cuts of boneless beef from "FrigorIfico Gorina SAIC": "Top Sirloin Butt" ("Cuadril Sin Tapa"), "Eye Round" ("Peceto"), "Topside Cap Off" ("Nalga AD S/Tapa"), "Flat" ("Carnaza Cuadrada"), and "Knuckle" ("Bola de Lomo"). Products are marked with Argentinian establishment number "EST. N° OF. 202025" and shipping mark "26644-AA."

FSIS expressed concern that the recalled beef may already be in consumers' refrigerators or freezers. The agency urges consumers not to consume the product and to either discard it or return it to the place of purchase. FSIS has not released a list of specific retail distribution points at this time.