Jimmy Fallon pokes fun at this ground beef recall. But the USDA is serious
You know a recall has made the big time when Jimmy Fallon, host of NBC’s “The Tonight Show,” cracks a joke at its expense.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service noted a recall of Tyson Fresh Meats raw ground beef products — nearly 94,000 pounds worth — because they may be “contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically reflective mirror-like material,” according to the recall.
The description led Fallon to crack during his Friday night monologue, “Mirror-like substance? They’re really bending over backwards to avoid saying, ‘Fine, it’s glass, OK?’ A mirror-like substance? Nothing worse than eating a 1-pound burger and catching a glimpse of yourself.”
What has been recalled?
Here’s what the Tyson raw, ground beef packages look like.
The packages, produced in Amarillo, Texas, for distribution to retail locations in Texas, on Nov. 2, sport labels reading:
▪ 10-lb. chubs containing “HILL COUNTRY FARE GROUND BEEF 73% LEAN/27% FAT with BEST BEFORE OR FREEZE BY: NOV 25, 2022.”
▪ 5-lb. chubs containing “HILL COUNTRY FARE GROUND BEEF 73% LEAN/27% FAT with BEST BEFORE OR FREEZE BY: NOV 25, 2022.”
▪ 5-lb. chubs containing “H-E-B GROUND CHUCK GROUND BEEF 80% LEAN/20% FAT.”
The recalled beef products also have establishment number “EST. 245E” printed on the seam of the chub.
Tyson notified the food safety organization when its customers complained about finding “mirror-like” material in ground beef products that they had bought at grocery stores. Tyson issued the recall.
What you should do
As of the recall date there have been no confirmed reports of people getting sick or hurt from biting into burgers made with the Tyson beef. But the USDA FSIS posted its concern that some of these products may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers.
If some of the Tyson ground beef packages found their way into your kitchen, the advice is to return them to where you bought them or toss them out.
Consumers with questions about the recall can contact the Tyson Fresh Meats Consumer Hotline at 1-855-382-3101.
This story was originally published November 19, 2022 at 2:22 PM with the headline "Jimmy Fallon pokes fun at this ground beef recall. But the USDA is serious."
