It was in late July 2025 when Ada Valley Meat Company voluntarily recalled 1,065 pounds of fully cooked frozen ground beef from its shelf due to a consumer complaint about metal fragments found in the product. U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service classified the recall under Class I indicating a “health situation that the probability of use of the product will lead to serious adverse health effects or death.” Fortunately, there have been no injuries reported so far.
Details of the recalled product
The recall involves a single ready-to-eat item: Ada Valley Fully Cooked Ground Beef, packaged as four 5-pound plastic bags inside a 20-pound cardboard box. Of note, these affected products were packed May 28, 2025, with lot code 35156, and May 30, 2025, with lot code 35157. Each carries beneath the inspection mark USDA establishment number EST. 10031. The total weight of recalled ground beef referred to above approximates 1,065 pounds.
Why was the beef recalled?
Metal pieces in foods pose serious health hazards. Such health risks for the food would include choking hazards, cuts or perforations occurring in the mouth, throat, or digestive tract, and in serious cases, this might call for surgical removal. FSIS has classified this as a Class 1 recall, the most severe category, because of the possible dangers associated with ingesting metal.
The five states where the recalled ground beef was distributed to retailers and wholesalers were California, Delaware, Illinois, Michigan (local Ada Valley accounts included), and Pennsylvania. FSIS has warned those institutions such as schools, hospitals, and care facilities that may have bulk bought the product to conduct a thorough check on their freezers.
Consumer advice and next steps
Consumers who bought Ada Valley Fully Cooked Ground Beef indicating the lot codes mentioned in the affected pack dates should promptly check their freezers. If you find the recalled product, you shouldn’t eat it at any moment. Instead, you should dispose of it properly, like sealing it in a bag before throwing it away, or take it back to where it was bought to receive your complete refund.
Questions or concerns may be directed to the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854, by email at [email protected]. Queries can also be forwarded to Gerrit Rozeboom at Ada Valley Gourmet Foods via [email protected].
Health and safety considerations
The metal fragments present in ground beef are significant safety hazards. FSIS recommends that anyone having symptoms such as difficulty swallowing, abdominal pain, or bleeding be advised to seek medical attention at once if he has consumed the recalled product. This recall mainly affects institutions with large purchases of the product; therefore, such organizations should check their stores to ensure that none of the recalled beef is available to avoid accidental consumption.
Ada Valley Meat Company, headquartered in Ada, Michigan, processes fully cooked frozen meat products, which are sold to customers regionally. This is the first major food-safety action taken by the company this year 2025. It has online databases where consumers can access updates on recalls and subscribe to notifications in case other alerts come up in the future.
