El Monterey burrito recall affects 25 tons of frozen products

An El Monterey burrito recall is affecting more than 50,000 pounds of frozen products.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced that Ruiz Foods has recalled frozen breakfast burritos – containing egg, sausage, cheese, and potato – that could be contaminated with extraneous material.

The cook-and-serve breakfast burritos – a popular item in food vending machines – were produced on March 3. The following product is subject to recall:

• 3.38-pound, plastic-wrapped packages containing 12 4.5-ounce, individually wrapped, frozen “EL MONTEREY SIGNATURE BURRITOS, EGG, SAUSAGE, CHEESE & POTATO” with lot code 18062 and 18063, and a “best if used by” date of 3/3/2019 or 3/4/2019.

The El Monterey burritos subject to this recall bear an establishment number of “EST. 17523A” on the back of the package. They were shipped to retail outlets across the country.

An El Monterey burrito recall is affecting more than 50,000 pounds of frozen products. The USDA announced that Ruiz Food Products has recalled frozen breakfast burritos – containing egg, sausage, cheese, and potato – that could be contaminated with extraneous material.

El Monterey burrito recall:
Plastic found in burritos

This El Monterey burrito recall – classified as “Class II” (see below) by the USDA – was prompted by complaints from consumers who reported finding white, semi-rigid plastic pieces in the burritos.

There have been no reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of the burritos. Anyone concerned about an injury should contact their health-care provider.

El Monterey burrito recall:
Check your freezers

The FSIS said it is concerned that some burritos could be in consumers’ freezers. Consumers who have purchased the burritos are urged to either throw them away or return them to the place of purchase.

The FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify that firms notify customers of the recall. In addition, the FSIS follows through to ensure that steps are being taken to make certain that the product is no longer available for purchase.

Consumers with questions about this El Monterey burrito recall should contact Ruiz Foods’ consumer line at 800-772-6474.

El Monterey burrito recall:
Ruiz Foods background

Ruiz Foods has more than 2,500 employees at three company locations. Many work in Dinuba, CA, where the company headquarters and main manufacturing facility are located. Additional facilities are located in in Tulare, CA, and Denison, TX.

The current recall is the second for the company in 18 months in which plastic was found in a product. A December 2016 recall was enacted for 4.5-pound cases of “RANCHERO COOKED BEEF & CHEESE WRAPPED IN A BATTERED FLOUR TORTILLA” with a production date of “16 323″ and a product code of 86-390.

Those products were traced to the Denison production facility. The company said they were “a food service product” not sold under the El Monterey brand. No injuries were reported.

El Monterey burrito recall:
Three classification levels

The USDA uses three different levels of classifications for its recalls. Those are:

• Class I: “This is a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.”
• Class II: “This is a health hazard situation where there is a remote probability of adverse health consequences from the use of the product.”
• Class III: “This is a situation where the use of the product will not cause adverse health consequences.”