All product produced by Thorn Apple Valley, Forrest City, AR, are unfit for human consumption, according to a decision by USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service.  FSIS believes that all meat and poultry products made and distributed from the plant were not prepared according to the requirements of the law and may contain physical, chemical and/or microbiological contaminants that adulterated the product and made it unfit for human consumption.

Production of frankfurter and lunch combination products at the plant ended Dec. 31 when USDA suspended the assignment of inspectors based on the plant's non-compliance with sanitation requirements.  Shortly after that, Thorn Apple Valley voluntarily recalled all products produced after July 6, 1998.

The company was notified that all products on hold could not be reprocessed for human consumption.  Thorn Apple Valley has about 9 million pounds of meat and poultry products on hold in U.S. warehouses.  More than 12 million pounds subject to the recall were exported to Russia and South Korea, and international officials have been notified of the FSIS action.

FSIS believes the products from the Forrest City plant already are on hold, but consumers were reminded to check for any products bearing "EST 13529" or "EST P-13529" anywhere on the product.  "Because of the potential of food borne illness, we urge consumers not to eat it," said John McCutcheon, FSIS acting deputy administrator.