Dried, cured meat products recalled due to lack of food safety controls

Several dried and cured meat products from a Christchurch-based company have been recalled due to a lack of required food safety controls, New Zealand Food Safety (NZFS) has announced.

Safari Meats and SA Shop Limited issued the recall of all batches of 13 dried and cured meat products, including biltong, droëwors, and chillibites.

NZFS deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle said the products should not be eaten.

“The concern with these products is that the Christchurch-based company has produced them without the required food safety controls in place.

“You can return them to the place of purchase for a refund. If that’s not possible, throw them out.”

NZFS said that dried and cured products must be carefully controlled as the process of making them does not involve high-temperature cooking that kills bacteria like Salmonella and E.Coli.

“There have been reports of illness relating to these products and we are investigating,” Arbuckle said.

“As is our usual practice, NZFS will work with Safari Meats to ensure appropriate food safety controls are put in place.”

The affected products are sold at the Safari Meats and SA Shop in Christchurch, through their online store and at 10 other retailers across the country.

Affected products are not available in supermarkets.

Batches and dates of the following products are affected by this recall: