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The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a public health alert for three frozen Betterballen products because their labels omit sesame, and the beef product also contains undeclared anchovy. No adverse reactions have been confirmed, and FSIS says consumers should not eat the products; they should discard them or return them.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has issued a public health alert for three frozen Betterballen meat and poultry products because their labels do not declare sesame; the beef product also contains undeclared anchovy, a fish allergen. FSIS says consumers who have the products should not eat them, even though no adverse reactions have been confirmed.
The alert covers frozen, not-ready-to-eat products sold in clear vacuum-packed packages: six-piece Bami Rolls, 10-piece Saté Kroketten and 12-piece Bitterballen. All have a “BEST BY” date of October 2027. The listed lot codes are BR-2026-01 and BR-2026-02 for Bami Rolls, SK-1026-01 for Saté Kroketten and BB-1026-01 for Bitterballen.
The products were made on October 15, October 16 and October 27, according to the report, and carry establishment number EST. M3177 or EST. P3177 inside the USDA inspection mark. They were sold online nationwide by Lowlands House and may also have been sold at a festival and farmers market in Greer, South Carolina.
FSIS said the issue was found during a routine label review. The agency did not request a recall because the products are no longer available for purchase. It said some packages could still be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers and advised buyers to throw them away or return them to the place of purchase. Anyone concerned about a possible reaction should contact a health care provider.
Allergen Labels Guide Safe Choices
People with sesame or fish allergies may face a health risk if they eat food containing those ingredients without knowing they are present. The label omission means consumers may not have the information they need to avoid the products, particularly if packages have already been stored at home.
The alert also applies to frozen, not-ready-to-eat foods, so consumers should follow the agency’s instruction not to eat them rather than assuming cooking makes an affected product suitable. FSIS has not reported confirmed illness or reactions, but that does not establish that the products are safe for someone with an allergy. The alert identifies which products and lot codes are affected so buyers can check packages and take action.
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How FSIS Identified the Label Problem
FSIS is the USDA agency responsible for inspection and labeling oversight of meat and poultry products. In this case, the agency said it identified the undeclared allergens during a routine review of product labels. The report describes a public health alert, not a recall: FSIS said a recall was not requested because the products were no longer available for purchase.
The reported concern is specific to the Betterballen products and listed production details. Sesame is present in the products but missing from their labels; the beef product also contains Worcestershire sauce with anchovy, a fish allergen that is not declared. The report does not provide a broader finding about other Betterballen products.
“Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them.”
— U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service
What Is Not Yet Reported
The source report does not state how many packages were produced or sold, or how many may remain with consumers. It also does not say whether the products were distributed beyond the named online seller and the possible festival and farmers market sales in Greer.
No adverse reactions are confirmed in the report, but it provides no information about whether consumers have contacted FSIS with unconfirmed concerns. The report also does not give a date by which all packages are expected to be removed from consumers’ homes. The alert’s listed product names, lot codes and establishment numbers are the available identifiers for checking packages.
Check Packages and Follow FSIS Advice
Consumers can compare packages in their refrigerators or freezers with the alert’s product names, lot codes and establishment numbers. Anyone who finds a match should not eat it; FSIS advises discarding the product or returning it to the place of purchase. People concerned about a reaction should contact a health care provider.
The source report does not identify a further agency deadline or announced follow-up action. Consumers should use the alert details when checking any Betterballen products they may have bought, including online purchases or items obtained at the reported Greer sales locations.
Key Questions
Which Betterballen products are covered by the alert?
The alert lists six-piece Bami Rolls, 10-piece Saté Kroketten and 12-piece Bitterballen, each with a “BEST BY” date of October 2027. Check the package lot code and establishment number against the alert details.
Which allergens are not declared?
Sesame is undeclared in the listed products. The beef product also contains Worcestershire sauce with anchovy, a fish allergen, which is not declared on its label.
What should consumers do with an affected package?
Do not eat it. FSIS advises consumers to throw the product away or return it to the place of purchase. Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact a health care provider.
Have any adverse reactions been confirmed?
The report says FSIS has received no confirmed reports of adverse reactions linked to the products. The agency still urges consumers not to eat them because of the undeclared allergens.
Why is this a public health alert rather than a recall?
According to the report, FSIS did not request a recall because the products were no longer available for purchase. The agency warned consumers because packages may still be stored at home.
Source: foodsafetynews.com
