Over 4,000 pounds of juicy fresh ribeye steaks have been recalled by a Missouri producer for containing "specified risk materials" associated with mad cow disease—and some of those steaks ended up in New York City. The USDA release says the beef was distributed to a restaurant in NYC, as well as a Connecticut Whole Foods distribution center that services stores in New England. The agency declined to name the restaurant associated with the recall, saying the product had been removed and therefore was no further risk to diners.
The source of the recall seems to have stemmed from issues with Fruitland American Meat's slaughter logs, which may not have been accurately maintained to track the age of the animals. In order to prevent the spread of mad cow disease, a.k.a. bovine spongiform encephalopathy, the animal's dorsal root ganglia in the nervous system must be removed from cattle aged 30 months or older. Because of the faulty logs, there was some concern over whether the appropriate action had been taken with this batch of animals, though a USDA spokesperson said the resulting inspection "showed no abnormal signs or symptoms associated with BSE."
So far, no illness has been reported but symptoms don't being immediately after consumption; humans who consume the tainted meat can develop a condition known as variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. The Class II recall—"remote probability of adverse health consequences"—includes roughly 20-lb. cryovac packages of bone-in “Rain Crow Ranch Ribeye” bearing the establishment number “EST. 2316” on products dated between September 2013 and April 2013.
