Alert: Organic ground beef sold at Whole Foods could contain hard plastic

A public health alert has been issued for raw organic ground beef sold at Whole Foods because it could contain hard plastic pieces.

The ground beef was produced April 20, 2022, and includes 16 ounce vacuum-sealed packages of “ORGANIC RANCHER ORGANIC GROUND BEEF” in both “93% LEAN 7% FAT” and “85% LEAN 15% FAT” varieties.

Affected products have a use by date of May 18, 2022, and establishment number “EST. 4027″ inside the USDA mark of inspection.

The alert was issued after consumers reported to Whole Foods that they found bits of hard, rigid plastic in the beef, and Whole Foods notified the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.

There have not been any confirmed reports of illness or adverse reactions to the beef, and the products are no longer being sold in stores, but the FSIS said it is concerned the packages could still be in consumer’s refrigerators or freezers.

Anyone with beef involved in the alert is urged to throw it away or return to the store.

Consumers with questions about the alert can contact Adam Bushell, Quality Assurance Manager at NPC Processing Inc., at adamb@npcprocessing.com.

About the Author