165,000+ Pounds Of Pork, Beef And Goat Recalled Over USDA Inspection Mark

FRIDAY, Sept. 25, 2026 (HealthDay News) — A North Carolina company is recalling 167,639 pounds of raw goat, beef and pork that never went through required federal inspection, U.S. Department of Agriculture officials announced.

Don't eat any meat that carries the number "EST. 1363," the agency's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) warned.

Star Meat Delivery Inc., based in Lucama, North Carolina, produced the meat on a range of dates before Sept. 22.

The labels featured a USDA mark of inspection, the stamp that normally tells buyers federal inspectors have checked the meat. But the plant number printed on them, EST. 1363, has no federal approval to process meat, FSIS said.

Because of that, officials consider the products mislabeled and not safe to eat. Star Meat Delivery contends this wasn’t intentional but a glitch in the stamp approval process.

The meat was vacuum-sealed and shipped in cardboard boxes under the A&D Foods label. Recalled items include goat cuts, sliced ribeye, oxtail, beef ribs and short ribs, beef feet, ground pork, pork chorizo, pork chops, pork feet, pork hocks, sliced and diced pork, and menudo mix. 

A full list with label images is available from FSIS.

The boxes went to A&D Foods, a Georgia distributor that sent them on to stores and restaurants across the country.

That's where it gets tricky for shoppers. Packages sold in stores may not show the original label, since retailers may have added their own stickers with prices and safe handling tips.

Inspectors found the problem during routine monitoring. So far, no one has reported getting sick.

Still, meat that skips inspection can carry harmful bacteria, allergens that aren't listed on the label or other contaminants, FSIS explained.

Officials worry some of the meat may still be sitting in home, restaurant or store refrigerators and freezers. They're urging people to toss it or take it back to where they bought it, and they've asked stores and restaurants not to sell or serve it.

In a statement posted on Facebook, Star Meat Delivery denied using a fake USDA stamp. The company said the EST. 1363 number had been set aside for its processing center as part of a USDA application that's still pending.

According to the company, the recalled meat was cut and packaged for a Georgia distributor before that approval came through. Star Meat said the meat itself came from a USDA-inspected supplier and that none of its other products are affected.

The company added that it's working with federal officials to finish the approval process and follow recall steps.

More information

Visit FoodSafety.gov for more information about food recalls and outbreaks.

SOURCES: U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service, Sept. 22, 2026; Star Meat Delivery Inc., company announcement, Sept. 24, 2026