October 04, 2011

Testing underway on retail products produced at Missouri meat processing plant

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.-The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) has begun testing on retail meat products processed and packaged by Reis Meat Processing, in Jackson, Missouri.

DHSS initiated its investigation after a routine inspection of the facility conducted by the Department of Agriculture's Meat Inspection Program suspended operations last week pending sanitation concerns. Reis Meat also sells retail meat products in addition to its operations under a custom exempt license.

DHSS has embargoed retail meat products sold by the company and will test samples of these products at the State Public Health Laboratory. The department anticipates it will take five to seven days to fully test these samples.

DHSS will release more information as it becomes available. Individuals who may have purchased meat products from the company may choose to discard the products or wait until testing is completed and the products are deemed safe to consume.

Meanwhile, the Missouri Department of Agriculture has reinstated custom exempt processing operations, which are separate from retail operations, at Reis Meat Processing following a satisfactory inspection of the processing facilities on October 3rd.

To read the original release from the Missouri Department of Agriculture, click here: http://mda.mo.gov/news/2011/Custom_Meat_Processor_in_Jackson_s_Exempt_Status_Suspended


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