Metal contamination sparks Class I recall of over 1,000 pounds of ground beef

Ada Valley Meat Company in Michigan has issued a Class I recall for more than 1,000 pounds of ready-to-eat ground beef after a consumer found metal fragments in the product.

According to the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the recall applies to approximately 1,065 pounds of frozen ready-to-eat ground beef packed on 28 and 30 May 2025. Ada Valley shipped the affected product, labelled “Ada Valley Fully Cooked Ground Beef,” to distributors and institutions in California, Delaware, Illinois, Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Authorities classify the recall as Class I, meaning there is “a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.”

The contamination issue came to light after a consumer complaint alerted the company to the presence of metal in the beef. In response, Ada Valley notified FSIS, triggering the recall. No injuries or illnesses have been reported to date.

The company packaged the affected beef in 20-pound cardboard boxes containing four five-pound plastic bags, marked with pack dates 5/28/25 (lot code 35156) or 5/30/25 (lot code 35157), and the establishment number “EST. 10031” inside the USDA inspection mark.

FSIS recall advice

FSIS warns that contaminated meat could still be sitting in institutional freezers. The agency added:

Institutions who have purchased these products are urged not to serve these products. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.”

They also warned that other establishments may have repackaged some recalled products, which could bear different establishment numbers.

Consumers who purchased the recalled beef should check their freezers and either dispose of the product or return it. Any individual concerned about potential health effects should contact a medical professional.

This recall follows recent meat safety issues in the US, including a late June recall by Gaiser’s European Style Provision of over 143,000 pounds of bologna due to undeclared meat and poultry ingredients.

For further information or queries, consumers can contact Gerrit Rozeboom, President of Ada Valley Gourmet Foods, at [email protected], or reach out to the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline on 888-674-6854 or [email protected].