Nearly 29,628 pounds of raw beef imported from Argentina have been recalled after the shipment entered the United States without undergoing required import reinspection, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced on August 7, 2026. Corte Argentino USA LLC, based in Aventura, Florida, distributed the affected products to retailers and distributors in Florida and Texas.
The recalled beef products were produced between May 15 and May 20, 2026, and carry use or freeze-by dates between September 15 and September 20. The shipment includes various boneless beef cuts under the brand “FrigorIfico Gorina SAIC,” including Top Sirloin Butt, Eye Round, Topside Cap Off, Flat, and Knuckle, all bearing Argentinian establishment number “EST. N° OF. 2025” and shipping mark “26644-AA.”
The FSIS discovered the violation during routine inspection activities. According to the agency, the products bypassed the mandatory reinspection step that all imported meat must undergo before entering U.S. commerce. Import reinspection serves as a domestic verification checkpoint on products already inspected by the exporting country’s authority, confirming documentation, labeling, packaging, product condition, and in some cases involving sampling for contaminants.
The recall is classified as a Class I import violation—the highest risk level—because the shipment was not presented to FSIS inspectors for the required reinspection before distribution. However, the USDA emphasized that the recall stems from a procedural lapse rather than any confirmed detection of pathogens or adulterants. No confirmed reports of illness or injury have been linked to consumption of the recalled beef as of the announcement.
This is not the first time an importer has failed to present beef products for required reinspection. In June 2024, South American Meat Inc., based in Commerce, California, recalled approximately 20,111 pounds of frozen raw beef products imported from Uruguay after they were not presented to FSIS for import reinspection upon entry into the United States. That recall was also discovered during routine inspections and resulted in no reported illnesses, following the same procedural-violation pattern as the current Corte Argentino recall.
Under standard procedure, incoming shipments that meet U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service requirements must subsequently be reinspected by FSIS before distribution to retailers. Argentina’s meat inspection system has been determined by FSIS to be equivalent to the U.S. system, allowing its federally inspected establishments to export beef to the United States—but only after passing the domestic reinspection checkpoint.
The FSIS expressed concern that some affected products may remain in consumers’ refrigerators and freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are instructed to discard them or return them to the place of purchase rather than cook and consume them, since the lack of reinspection means they were not verified through the full set of checks required for imported meat entering U.S. commerce.
Sources
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service — official recall announcement for Corte Argentino USA LLC on August 7, 2026, including product details, distribution states, production dates, and establishment numbers.
- edgeX Exchange News — explanation of import reinspection process, procedural lapse details, and context on how reinspection verifies documentation, labeling, packaging, and product condition.
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (GovDelivery) — precedent recall of South American Meat Inc. in June 2024 for the same import reinspection violation.
