Read This If You Recently Bought Chorizo
The USDA has bad news for chorizo fans in Oregon. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service has issued a public health alert for some recently released raw ground chorizo sausage items over concerns that the product may have been contaminated with foreign material before distribution. They believe that some extraneous material could have entered the packages before they left the manufacturing facility and may pose a public health risk.
The alert was issued last week for one-pound packages of "Lonely Lane Farms Family Farm Since 1939 OREGON RAISED Chorizo Sausage," which were produced on March 8, 2021. The Food Safety and Inspection Service believes that around 39 pounds of the chorizo product may have been contaminated with "hard pieces of crystalline material." The fresh and frozen ground raw chorizo sausages were manufactured by Century Oak Packing Company, which is based in Mt. Angel, Oregon, and were distributed to local farmers markets and various retail locations throughout the state.
Consumers are advised to throw away any affected Lonely Lane Farms chorizo products without eating them
The issue came to the USDA's attention following three consumer complaints that they had discovered the foreign material in their food. While as of yet, no one has reported any illness as a result of consuming the contaminated chorizo, the USDA is urging caution and recommending that anyone who does feel ill should visit their health care provider.
According to the Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, none of the potentially contaminated products are currently available for purchase, and so no recall has been issued. However, any customers who may have purchased any Lonely Lane Farms chorizo products in the past should immediately dispose of the product. Before eating any of fresh or frozen chorizo sausages, consumers are urged to check their refrigerators and freezers for items bearing the product ID 21067-6 or the establishment number "EST. M40256" inside the USDA inspection mark. Consumers are strongly advised to throw these products away or return them to the store for a refund immediately.