Cayman Islands DEH Food Recall on Corned Beef Products from Brazil

The Department of Environmental Health (DEH) is advising the public that an alert has been issued concerning the recall of corned beef products from Brazil because the products are alleged to have been processed with contaminated meat.

The DEH has requested all importers, wholesalers and retailers who have corned beef products originating from Brazil to withdraw the product from sale as a precautionary measure until further notice.

DEH, in cooperation with other government agencies, is currently investigating this matter to determine the next steps and will keep the public informed of further developments regarding the safety of this food product.

“We do not yet have all of the information but we wanted to alert the public and be proactive in this situation,” said DEH Director Roydell Carter.

If members of the public have any corned beef products originating from Brazil they should avoid eating these products until further notice.

For further information, contact DEH on 949-6696.

Jamaica bans corned beef imports from Brazil, urges public not to consume any

From Caribbean News Service

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Mar 21 2017 – Amid fears of rotten processed meat being used in its products, the Government has banned the importation of corned beef from Brazil – where 99.5 per cent of the local product comes from. The public is also being urged not to eat any corned beef until the relevant tests have been done.

In a statement yesterday, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries advised of the decision over the scandal in the South American country that has been triggered by reports from Brazilian authorities that several major Brazilian meat processors have been “selling rotten beef and poultry”.

The Brazilian companies implicated supply the 99.5 per cent of corned beef imported into Jamaica, the ministry said in a statement.

Portfolio minister Karl Samuda said an emergency meeting was called yesterday from which the following decisions were agreed:

A temporary hold will be placed on all permits for the import of corned beef from Brazil.

As a precautionary measure, all corned beef currently on the shelves will be withdrawn.

The National Food Recall Committee will meet immediately to determine the next steps and inform when it will be safe to consume the product.

Starting today, Samuda said the Bureau of Standards Jamaica will conduct chemical tests to ascertain the contents of corned beef on the market.

Speaking on RJR 94FM yesterday, permanent secretary in the ministry, Donovan Stanberry, said the decision was a precautionary one and that the distributors were in agreement.

Last week, the Brazilian police named BRF (the world’s largest meat producer) and JBS (the biggest poultry exporter), along with smaller companies in a two-year corruption probe, Reuters news agency reported.

The police allege that the companies paid inspectors and politicians to overlook the processing of rotten meat and exports with fraudulent documentation and even traces of salmonella.

China and the European Union have curtailed meat imports from Brazil.

For more on this story go to: http://caribbeannewsservice.com/now/jamaica-bans-corned-beef-imports-from-brazil-urges-public-not-to-consume-any/

Related story:

Cayman Islands recalls corned beef

From Foster’s Food Fair

Foster’s Food Fair-IGA would like to announce that a voluntary recall has been issued on all corned beef imported from Brazil. The recall comes after Brazilian authorities reported that several major Brazilian meat processors sold rotten beef and poultry, and paid hefty bribes to auditors in exchange for fraudulent sanitary licenses.

At this time, no other information has been provided from our vendors. All corned beef produced in Brazil has been removed from our shelves until further notice. In the interim, the Bureau of Standards Jamaica will conduct chemical test profiles to ascertain the contents of corned beef on the market and the Veterinary Services Division of the Ministry will conduct microbiological and residue tests to ascertain whether contaminants are present in the products on the local market. Foster’s Food Fair-IGA and Priced Right is affected by this recall, and all product has been removed from the shelves.

The current, Foster’s “Eat Corned Beef!” campaign, in conjunction with Grace Foods, has been put on hold due to this recall. We encourage all customers who have purchased this product from any of our Foster’s Food Fair-IGA and Priced Right locations to return the product for a full refund. Consumers are also being cautioned not to consume corned beef until further notice. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out by email ([email protected]) or by phone (345-945-3663).