Lindon company recalls freeze-dried meat products over lack of inspection

Thrive Foods, based in Lindon, has recalled about 3,790 pounds of assorted freeze-dried meat and poultry products because they did not undergo federal inspection, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service said Tuesday night.

In a prepared statement, the company said it believes the products are safe, but as a precaution, it is notifying customers who bought the Thrive Freeze-Dried Meats with manufacture dates between Oct. 12 and Nov. 16 so that they can return the products for a full refund.

"Although all these meats were cooked and freeze-dried under proper USDA procedures and supervision, not all products received proper USDA oversight as they were being packaged," the statement said.

"Thrive has no reason to believe that any of these products were contaminated, nor do they pose a health threat to our customers."

FSIS also reported that no illness has been associated with the recalled meats, which were packaged as six-can assortment packs. All the recalled products were produced on Oct. 12, 19 and 21, according to FSIS's recall notice.

Thrive Foods freeze-dries food for food storage and emergency-preparedness kits, including some produced for Shelf Reliance, well known in Utah for its food-storage systems and emergency-food kits. The two companies share facilities.

In its statement, Thrive noted that it is "cooperating with the USDA to ensure all procedures are consistently followed."

Recalled products include:

17-ounce cans of Thrive Premium Freeze-Dried Diced Roast Beef, bearing the establishment number 39967 inside the USDA inspection mark.

28.8-ounce cans of Thrive Premium Freeze-Dried Sausage Crumbles, with number 39967.

20-ounce cans of Thrive Premium Freeze-Dried Diced Turkey, with the number 39967 or P-39967.

17-ounce cans of Thrive Premium Freeze-Dried Chopped Chicken, with either 39967 or P-39967.

29-ounce cans of Thrive Premium Freeze-Dried Ground Beef, with either 39967 or P-39967.

1.25-pound cans of Thrive Premium Freeze-Dried Diced Ham, with 39967.

The release from FSIS says they were distributed to wholesale and retail stores in Utah and through Internet sales. More information is online at www.fsis.usda.gov/FSIS_Recalls.