Almost 160 tons of institutional meals recalled for bad water

BY NEWS DESK

Correctional Industries, which supplies the Washington state Department of Corrections and senior citizen nutrition programs, is recalling almost 320,000 pounds of frozen meat and poultry products because they were made with contaminated water.

The Olympia, WA-based food production operation reported the problem to the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service on Tuesday, according to the recall notice posted on the agency’s website.

Well water used to produce the frozen foods has been found to be contaminated with perfluorinated chemicals, known by the acronyms PFOS and PFOA, according to city and county health officials. The public in the Airway Heights, WA, area has been warned not to use the water for cooking or drinking. Restaurants and other foodservice operators are under orders to not use tap water in the area.

The contamination is thought to have come from runoff from nearby Fairchild Air Force Base, according to reports in The Spokesman-Review newspaper. The chemicals found in the well water are believed to be from fire-extinguishing foam the Air Force used from 1970 until last year on a fire-training site as well as two locations where aircraft have crashed.

Unidentified “institutions” in Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington received the frozen meat and poultry products, which were produced and packed on various dates from April 1 through May 15 at the Correctional Industries location in Airway Heights, WA.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 40238” or “EST. P-40238” inside the USDA mark of inspection. The products can also be identified by the following label information:

• 31-lb. boxes containing “BROWN GRAVY W/BEEF, MASHED POTATOES, PEAS & CARROTS” and “Mfg Date” April 1, 2017 through May 15, 2017.
• 36-lb. boxes containing “CHICKEN ENCHILADA W/ENCHILADA SAUCE, RICE, AND BLACK BEANS” and “Mfg Date” April 1, 2017 through May 15, 2017.
• 25-lb. boxes containing “CHICKEN PATTY WITH RANCHERO SAUCE, RICE AND GREEN BEANS” and “Mfg Date” April 1, 2017 through May 15, 2017.
• 31-lb. boxes containing “CHICKEN PATTY WITH RICE, BBQ SAUCE, AND BEANS” and “Mfg Date” April 1, 2017 through May 15, 2017.
• 27.75-lb. boxes containing “CHILI SAUCE WITH MEAT, RICE AND VEGETABLES” and “Mfg Date” April 1, 2017 through May 15, 2017.
• 30-lb. boxes containing “COUNTRY FRIED CHKN & BEEF PATTY W/GRAVY, MASHED POTATOES & CARROTS” and “Mfg Date” April 1, 2017 through May 15, 2017.
• 22.75-lb. boxes containing “CREAMED GRAVY W/GROUND BEEF ON BISCUIT & O’BRIAN POTATOES” and “Mfg Date” April 1, 2017 through May 15, 2017.
• 26-lb. boxes containing “CREAMY CHICKEN ALFREDO WITH ROTINI AND CORN” and “Mfg Date” April 1, 2017 through May 15, 2017.
• 24-lb. boxes containing “CREAMY CHICKEN CASSEROLE WITH ROTINI AND VEGETABLES” and “Mfg Date” April 1, 2017 through May 15, 2017.
• 29.25-lb. boxes containing “LASAGNA WITH GREEN BEANS” and “Mfg Date” April 1, 2017 through May 15, 2017.
• 28.75-lb. boxes containing “MEAT LOAF PATTY W/MASHED POTATOES, GRAVY & GREEN BEANS” and “Mfg Date” April 1, 2017 through May 15, 2017.
• 29-lb. boxes containing “ORANGE SAUCE W/CHICKEN, RICE, AND VEGETABLES” and “Mfg Date” April 1, 2017 through May 15, 2017.
• 29.25-lb. boxes containing “SALISBURY STEAK W/GRAVY, MASHED POTATOES & VEGETABLES” and “Mfg Date” April 1, 2017 through May 15, 2017.
• 27.5-lb. boxes containing “SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN WITH RICE AND VEGETABLES” and “Mfg Date” April 1, 2017 through May 15, 2017.
• 27.75-lb. boxes containing “TERIYAKI SAUCE WITH CHICKEN, RICE AND VEGETABLES” and “Mfg Date” April 1, 2017 through May 15, 2017.
• 28.75-lb. boxes containing “TURKEY CHILI WITH RICE AND VEGETABLES” and “Mfg Date” April 1, 2017 through May 15, 2017.
• 27.25-lb. boxes containing “VEGETABLE STEW WITH BEEF, RICE AND PEAS” and “Mfg Date” April 1, 2017 through May 15, 2017.
• 27.5-lb. boxes containing “WHITE TURKEY ALA KING W/RICE & PEAS” and “Mfg Date” April 1, 2017 through May 15, 2017.
• 23.5-lb. boxes containing “HALAL CREAMED GRAVY W/GROUND BEEF ON BISCUIT, & POTATOES” and “Mfg Date” April 1, 2017 through May 15, 2017.
• 25-lb. boxes containing “HALAL BEEF GRAVY WITH RICE BLEND, AND VEGETABLES” and “Mfg Date” April 1, 2017 through May 15, 2017.
• 25.5-lb. boxes containing “HALAL BEEF W/MACARONI & CHEESE SAUCE, & GREEN BEANS” and “Mfg Date” April 1, 2017 through May 15, 2017.
• 26.5-lb boxes containing “HALAL GROUND BEEF & VEGETABLES W/RICE, & GREEN BEANS” and “Mfg Date” April 1, 2017 through May 15, 2017.
• 26.25-lb. boxes containing “HALAL CREAMY CHICKEN CASSEROLE W/SEASONED NOODLES & VEGETABLES” and “Mfg Date” April 1, 2017 through May 15, 2017.
• 22-lb. boxes containing “HALAL CHICKEN PATTY W/RICE & RED BEANS, & VEGETABLES” and “Mfg Date” April 1, 2017 through May 15, 2017.
• 25-lb. boxes containing “HALAL CHILI SAUCE FLAVORED W/MEAT, MACARONI, & GREEN BEANS” and “Mfg Date” April 1, 2017 through May 15, 2017.
• 25-lb. boxes containing “HALAL MEAT SAUCE WITH SPAGHETTI, AND CORN” and “Mfg Date” April 1, 2017 through May 15, 2017.
• 24-lb. boxes containing “HALAL SLOPPY JOE BBQ SAUCE WITH BEEF, POTATOES AND VEGETABLES” and “Mfg Date” April 1, 2017 through May 15, 2017.

Although the recall notice states the products were shipped to “institutions,” it warns consumers to not eat the recalled products.

“There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products,” according to the recall notice.

“Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. Consumers with questions about the recall can contact Michael Cline, industries manager, at 509-244-4232.”