What do beef recalls typically include?

Beef recalls typically include the infected batch and surrounding batches to ensure comprehensive safety measures are taken. When a contamination issue is identified, it is critical to pull not just the batch that was found to be contaminated but also adjacent batches that could potentially be affected. This practice minimizes the risk of consumers being exposed to tainted products and reflects the precautionary principle in food safety.

By including surrounding batches, agencies aim to account for any cross-contamination that may have occurred during processing, packaging, or distribution. This approach helps to protect public health more effectively than limiting the recall to just the identified contaminated products.

In contrast, the other options do not adequately address the thoroughness required in recall situations. Limiting the recall to just the infected batch ignores the potential for broader contamination, while focusing only on new arrivals or products sold in grocery stores excludes other points of distribution that could pose a risk to consumers. Overall, the comprehensive nature of including surrounding batches is a key component of effective food safety protocols.