Officials issue urgent public health notice over uninspected meat that poses contamination risk

Shoppers are being urged to check the steaks and pork chops in their kitchens immediately, over fears some may be contaminated with bacteria.

Officials at the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) have issued a health alert for multiple raw meat products from Illinois-based Blackwing Organic Meats, also including stew meat, ground beef and ground pork.

All the products were produced without a federal inspection, officials said, meaning they may contain undeclared allergens, harmful bacteria or other contaminants.

The products have a fake USDA inspection mark, normally a circular black or purple stamp on the packaging, or no USDA stamp. All meats sold in the US are legally required to be inspected before reaching shelves.

The affected meats are vacuum-packed and were sold either as single cuts or in red, blue, yellow or purple-bordered boxes.

They were available at multiple retailers nationwide, officials said, and were on shelves between April 2024 and March 2026. 

Officials are concerned that some Blackwing-branded products may still be lurking in people’s refrigerators or freezers.

No illnesses or deaths have been reported to date. There is also no evidence that the products were contaminated or were not safe to eat. 

Consumers who have purchased the products have been urged not to consume them and to throw them away immediately or return them to the place of sale for a full refund.

Anyone concerned they may have suffered an illness as a result of consuming the foods has been urged to contact their healthcare provider. 

It was not clear how the products were sold without USDA inspection or why some falsely bore a mark showing they were USDA inspected. 

The products subject to the health alert are: 8oz packages of Blackwing Organic Meats Organic Beef New York Strip Steaks; 16oz packages of Blackwing Organic Meats Organic Ground Beef; 8oz Blackwing Organic Meats Grass Fed Organic Beef Stew Meat; 8oz Blackwing Organic Meats Organic Beef Steak Strips; and 1lb Blackwing Meats Blackwing Beef Ground from Organic Beef. 

Out of these, all bore a false mark of USDA inspection that had ‘EST 1996’ inside, except for the ground beef, which had no mark of inspection.

In terms of pork, the health alert was issued for: 12oz Blackwing Meats Pork Ground Made from Organic Pork and 12oz Blackwing Meats Boneless Center Cut Pork Chops 2-6oz Made From Organic Pork.

For these, neither product bore a mark of USDA inspection. 

There was no lot number because the alert is for all meats bearing these names that were sold between 2024 and 2026. A recall was not issued.

The USDA inspection mark, managed by the FSIS, shows that a food has been inspected by federal officials and is safe, wholesome and properly labeled.

It means that a federal official was present at all times during the slaughter of livestock and for at least part of the time during the processing of the meat.

The official ensures that animals are slaughtered humanely, conducts a post-mortem inspection to ensure the food is safe to eat, and keeps an eye on processing to ensure hygienic practices are maintained and that the meat is not contaminated.

On its website, Blackwing Organic Meats says it is the leading provider of wholesome red meats, game meats and poultry in North America.

It adds that its meats are sent to consumers, retailers and the food service sector.