USDA issues urgent recall on popular deli meats nationwide
The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has flagged several meat and poultry products in August, with some carrying the agency’s highest-risk Class I classification. The reasons range from confirmed or suspected bacterial contamination to products that were never properly inspected in the first place.
Some of these products could already be sitting in your fridge or pantry. So, read on to find out how you may be affected.
First up: check the deli meat
City Foods Inc., doing business as Bea’s Best Corned Beef in Chicago, recalled about 3,215 pounds of ready-to-eat pastrami and corned beef that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The affected products were all produced on July 16, 2026, and have a 60-day shelf life. They were shipped to foodservice locations in Illinois, Iowa, and Michigan before potentially reaching locations elsewhere in the country. The products carry EST. 1896 inside the USDA inspection mark.
The affected products include Bea’s Best Cooked Corned Beef Brisket and Kirsch Delicatessen Style Cooked Corned Beef Brisket, both sold in 20- to 30-pound boxes.
There is also a Midamar product in the recall. FSIS updated the recall information on August 13 to correct the product description and identifying details. The current listing is Midamar Halal Sliced Pastrami Round, sold in a 10-pound box containing four 2.5-pound pieces, with item number MBPS10.
So if you see an older article mentioning a different Midamar product or case code, don't assume that's the current information. Check the latest FSIS listing.
No illnesses have been confirmed in connection with the recalled deli meats. The problem was discovered during routine inspection.
Listeria is the part you don't want to ignore
Listeria is not just another foodborne bacteria with a scary-sounding name. It can cause serious illness, particularly in pregnant people, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. Symptoms can include fever, muscle aches, and other flu-like symptoms, and they can take weeks to appear after exposure.
More importantly, refrigeration doesn't necessarily stop Listeria from growing. The bacteria can survive and multiply at refrigerator temperatures. So "I'll just keep it cold" isn't a solution.
A Salmonella situation involving jalapeños
The deli meat recall isn't the only food-safety alert making the rounds. On August 8, FSIS issued a public health alert involving meat and poultry products containing FDA-regulated jalapeños that may be contaminated with Salmonella.
The bigger issue here is actually the peppers, as the FDA and CDC are investigating an outbreak of Salmonella Javiana linked to jalapeños from Sinaloa, Mexico, distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors. The outbreak has sickened 345 people across 27 states, according to the latest information provided.
Some of those contaminated peppers were used as ingredients in meat and poultry products. That does not mean those products have been confirmed as the source of illnesses. FSIS says no illnesses have been confirmed from the meat and poultry products containing the recalled jalapeños. But there's a reason to keep checking.
As the ingredient recall moves through the supply chain, additional products containing the peppers can be identified.
Some meat wasn't inspected at all
Corte Argentino USA LLC in Aventura, Florida, recalled approximately 29,628 pounds of raw beef because it was imported from Argentina without the required import reinspection. The affected product was distributed in Florida and Texas.
Then there's the one that could be hiding in a pantry rather than a refrigerator. Indus Foods, doing business as Gangothri Foods in Austin, recalled approximately 1,626 pounds of ready-to-eat pickled goat and chicken products because they were produced without federal inspection.
The affected products include Gangothri Goat Pickle, Gongura Goat Pickle, Chicken Pickle, and Gongura Chicken Pickle. They are sold in 8-ounce glass jars, have a two-year shelf life, and are shelf stable.
More importantly, they were sold nationwide, including directly to consumers online.
Don't try to cook your way out of a recall
If you find a recalled product in your home, don't get creative. Don't eat it or serve it to someone else. The two safe choices are to discard it or return it for a refund.
And cooking isn't a universal reset button. Proper cooking can kill bacteria such as Listeria and Salmonella, but heat won't fix an undeclared allergen or magically make an uninspected product legitimate. These recalled deli meats are also ready-to-eat products that are commonly eaten cold, so relying on reheating as a safety workaround isn't a smart move.
The easiest solution remains the one you might not like. If it's recalled, get rid of it.
Source: Men’s Fitness
