Star Meat Delivery Recalls 167,000 Pounds Over False USDA Inspection Marks

Star Meat Delivery Inc. is recalling over 167,000 pounds of raw beef, pork, and goat products bearing false USDA inspection marks. The Class I recall covers products produced without federal inspection and distributed nationwide; no illnesses have been reported. The company disputes claims of falsified stamps, stating the establishment number was legitimately reserved during its USDA application process.

Quick Facts

Recall of raw pork, beef, and goat products
Products produced without federal inspection
False USDA inspection marks applied to products
Products distributed to retail stores and restaurants nationwide
FSIS discovery during routine surveillance

Star Meat Delivery Inc., based in Lucama, North Carolina, is recalling approximately 167,639 pounds of raw pork, beef, and goat products produced without federal inspection and bearing false USDA inspection marks. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) classified the recall as Class I, its most serious designation, reserved for products that could reasonably cause severe health harm or death. The recalled products were vacuum-sealed and packed in cardboard boxes for distribution through a Georgia-based distributor to retail stores and restaurants nationwide.

The recalled items include 23 product types sold under the A&D Foods label, such as ground pork, chorizo, pork chops, pork ribs, pork feet, beef ribs, beef oxtail, beef short ribs, goat cuts, and menudo mix. All products bear the false establishment number "EST. 1363," which the USDA states does not correspond to any federally inspected facility. Consumers may not recognize the original A&D Foods branding on purchased items, as retailers often apply their own price and safe-handling labels over the original packaging.

The FSIS discovered the issue during routine surveillance activities. According to the agency, meat produced without federal inspection can harbor undeclared allergens, dangerous pathogens, or other contaminants. The products were manufactured on various dates before September 22, 2026. As of the recall announcement, no confirmed illnesses or injuries had been reported.

In response, Star Meat Delivery stated on its Facebook page that the establishment number was "legitimately reserved" as part of its USDA application process while seeking approval to process and package meat for the Georgia distributor. The company claimed the meat was sourced from a USDA-inspected supplier and that no other Star Meat Delivery products were mislabeled or part of the recall. The company said it is cooperating fully with authorities to complete the application process.

Food safety experts note that recalls involving forged inspection stamps are relatively rare. Keith Schneider, a food safety professor at the University of Florida, described the situation as "someone taking a shortcut" and noted that inspection systems are designed to detect such violations. In 2025, a similar recall involved approximately 32,000 pounds of meat from Sabrositos Hondurenos of New Jersey due to fake inspection stickers. The USDA advised consumers to discard recalled products or return them to their point of purchase and encouraged retailers and food-service operators to remove affected items from shelves immediately.

Topics

Health Business World

#Class I recall #goat #USDA inspection #food safety #Star Meat Delivery #establishment number #A&D Foods #North Carolina #pork #false inspection marks

Entities

Why This Matters

A Class I recall—the USDA's highest severity designation—affects 167,639 pounds of uninspected meat distributed nationwide to retail and food-service outlets. Uninspected meat may carry undeclared allergens, pathogenic bacteria, or other contaminants; the public distribution channel means exposure risk extends across multiple states. The company disputes falsification claims, stating the establishment number was legitimately reserved during regulatory application; resolution of this dispute will determine whether the recall reflects manufacturing-level compliance failure or documentation error during the approval process. Retailers and consumers must identify and remove or return affected A&D Foods-branded items, as original labeling may be obscured by retailer overlays.

Timeline & Sources

Sep 22, 2026

Wire

Final manufacturing date for recalled products

Sep 24, 2026

Wire

AP publishes recall details; FSIS confirms discovery via routine surveillance