Illinois Based Meat Producer Recalls Over 2,000 Pounds Of Contaminated Ground Beef

A file image of a stack of ground meat. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

An Illinois-based meat producer has recalled more than 2,000 pounds of ground beef patties after consumers said it was allegedly tainted with an unknown substance.

Customers complained they found “rubber-like” material in the grass-fed beef products during preparation.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said that Weinstein Whole Meats of Forest Park, Illinois, announced the recall on April 20, of 2,122 pounds of contaminated ground beef hamburger patties.

Inspectors identified the substance as “extraneous materials, specifically pieces of white neoprene.”

Neoprene is a synthetic rubber that is used for a wide variety of products, including car parts, electronics, and in personal protective equipment like face masks.

It also happens not to be biodegradable. Although it is considered safe, it is still a polymerized form of chloroprene, which the Environmental Protection Agency has called a likely carcinogen.

Chloroprene is currently on California’s Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to increase the risk of cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm over time.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that exposure to chloroprene may also lead to dermatitis, conjunctivitis, corneal necrosis, anemia, temporary loss of hair, nervousness, and irritability.

Authorities do not believe ingesting very small amounts of chloroprene or neoprene will cause health problems.

The recalled burger patties were processed by Weinstein on March 14 and were shipped to an online distributor to be sent to supermarkets nationwide.

Only one product has been recalled so far at this time, specifically, 10.7-oz. packages of ground beef patties labeled: “100% Grass Fed & Finished Beef Burger Patties 85% Lean/15% Fat.”

The contaminated product is labeled with the establishment number: “Est. 6987.”

So far, there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of the beef patties, according to the USDA.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said it is concerned that some of the products may have reached customers’ refrigerators or freezers.

The FSIS said that anyone who has purchased these products must not to consume them and that they should be thrown away immediately or returned to the place of purchase.

‘Corrective Action’

Weinstein said it is working with the FSIS and has completed an internal review at its Forest Park facility to carry out a “corrective action.”

“Our company is committed to producing high quality and safe food for our customers,” said a company spokesperson.

The spokesperson confirmed that they and the distributor, Pre, had received five complaints, which affected a “very small amount of product.”

“Weinstein has completed an internal review related to this event at the Forest Park facility and corrective actions have been implemented,” the spokesperson added.

“We view this as an isolated incident. Our company is committed to producing high quality and safe food for our customers.”

The recall comes one month after a Minnesota food processing firm was forced to recall frozen beef pastries from schools after it was found that they contained a wire-like metal.

A 2016 study found that between 2002 and 2014, an estimated 1,698 visits were made to emergency rooms nationwide due to injuries related to wire bristles in food.