Urgent Recall: Pork Product Recall Sparks Warning to Customers

According to News Week, Pork Dynasty Inc. of Texas is recalling nearly 470 pounds of fried pork skin products due to an undeclared allergen and misbranding, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

Details of the Recall

The FSIS reported that the affected products contain soy, which was not disclosed on the packaging. The undeclared allergen was discovered during routine FSIS in-plant verification activities. The recalled products include 2.5-ounce and 3.5-ounce bags of “Texarones Born in the Philippines—Made in Texas Fried Out Pork Fat with Attached Skin Spicy.” These items are packaged in plastic bags and have the establishment number “EST. 46015.” The products were distributed to retail and dining establishments throughout Texas.

Consumer Advisory

As of Friday, there have been no reported reactions related to this recall. The FSIS advises consumers who purchased the recalled items not to consume them and instead to either dispose of them or return them to the place of purchase.

For questions regarding the recall, consumers can contact Pork Dynasty Inc.’s owner, Wilson Gaw, at 832-606-1946 or via email at wilsonlg05@yahoo.com. Additionally, inquiries can be directed to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854 or via email at MPHotline@usda.gov.

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Understanding Allergen Labeling Requirements

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) identifies nine major food allergens that companies must list on their product labels, including milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame.

According to a report from regulatory compliance company Traceone published last month, unintended traces of allergens were the leading cause of food recalls from 2020 to the date of the study, accounting for 40 percent of all recalls by the FDA and FSIS.

Other Reasons for Recalls

The second most common cause for recalls was the presence of harmful bacteria, such as salmonella, E. coli, and listeria, which represented 21 percent of recalls during the same period. Other reasons for product recalls included foreign objects, like small pieces of plastic or metal, and mislabeling of products. Notably, the presence of lead in food accounted for 1.7 percent of withdrawals reviewed by Traceone.

In a recent Gallup poll conducted from July 1 to July 21, 27 percent of Americans reported having to discard or return an item due to a recall or food safety alert. More than half of the respondents (53 percent) indicated they had avoided purchasing specific food brands because of a recall or advisory.