Urgent Notice: Public Health Alert Issued Over Illegally Imported Foods Across Nine States

According to News Week, The Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a public health alert concerning several meat, fish, and poultry products that have been illegally imported to the U.S. from Myanmar.

Details of the Alert

On Thursday, the FSIS reported that six cans and one vacuum-sealed clear package of various food products, including meat, poultry, curry pastes, dried fish, and duck blood, were found being sold in nine states across the country.

Myanmar is currently not authorized to export meat or dairy products to the United States. However, surveillance activities conducted by the FSIS revealed that these products were being sold in American retail stores. An investigation into how these items made their way into the country is ongoing.

Urgent Consumer Advisory

The FSIS strongly advises consumers not to consume these products and to either throw them away or return them to the point of purchase. Retailers who may have acquired these products are also urged not to sell them.

Although there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions related to these products, the FSIS recommends that anyone who feels ill should contact a healthcare provider.

Product Details

The affected products lack an establishment number and do not carry a USDA mark of inspection. They include:

Canned products sold under the brand name “BEST,” such as:

• • Beef curry (180g)
  • Chicken biryani (425g)
  • Myanmar duck blood (425g)

Canned pastes including:

• • Hti Mi Gwik Dry MoHinGa paste (containing catfish)
  • Eain Chak MoHinGa paste (containing catfish)
  • Eain Chak Coconut Soup paste (containing chicken)

Min Thar Gyi Dried Fish also falls under the public health alert.

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These products were sold in retail locations across several states, including Arizona, California, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Resources for Consumers

Consumers with food safety inquiries can reach out to the Department of Agriculture’s toll-free Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or send questions via email to MPHotline@usda.gov.

Recent History of Similar Alerts

This incident is not isolated; in August, the FSIS issued a similar public health alert for 17 meat and poultry products that had also been illegally imported from Myanmar. Eight of those products were curry-related and mostly sold under the brand name “Grandma.”

The previous alert included various items such as:

• Sardines in tomato sauce
• Fried carp with curry paste
• Catfish and various curry dishes

This public health alert follows closely on the heels of a mass food-poisoning outbreak linked to McDonald’s and recent recalls connected to that outbreak, as well as the recall of taco kits due to potential bacterial contamination.