Dive Brief:

• Petaluma, Calif., beef processor Rancho Feeding Corp. is recalling 8.7 million pounds of beef products processed without inspection and considered "diseased and unsound" by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service.
• There have yet to be any reports of illness associated with the beef, and the USDA hasn't specified the diseases involved.
• Among the beef products included in the recall: Carcasses, heads, cheeks, lips, tongues, bones, feet, beef blood, "Mountain Oysters," and "Sweet Breads," all of which were produced between Jan. 1, 2013 and Jan. 7, 2014. The products were shipped for distribution and retail in Texas, California, and Florida.
• Carcasses and containers involved carry the establishment number EST. 527 and a case code number ending with 3 or 4.

Dive Insight:

While no illnesses have been reported in connection with this slip-up, it's hard to say if no one was truly impacted by it. It is, after all, a year's worth of meat that made it into distribution and retail centers, with yet-to-be-revealed diseases involved. It's a frightening thing to think of, and a reminder amid stories of food safety issues abroad that our supply chain isn't always as safe as we'd like to think. Regardless, keep an eye on the USDA's site for further details.