Class I Bacon Recall: 12,000 Lbs Skipped US Inspection
Maple Leaf Foods Inc. is pulling more than 12,000 pounds of smoked bacon from shelves in three U.S. states after federal regulators discovered the imported product never went through a required inspection step.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced the recall on July 24, covering 12,036 pounds of refrigerated, not-ready-to-eat bacon shipped in from Canada. According to FSIS, the issue wasn't contamination or spoilage. Instead, the bacon entered the country without the mandatory import reinspection that all foreign meat products must pass before hitting American store shelves.
That process exists specifically to confirm imported meat meets U.S. food safety standards, so skipping it is enough to trigger a recall on its own, even with no reports of anyone getting sick.
What's affected:
The recalled bacon was sold in 12-ounce vacuum-sealed packages under two labels:
- Royale Natural Applewood Smoked All-Natural Uncured Bacon, with sell-by dates of September 1 and September 7, 2026
- Top Valu Uncured Hardwood Smoked Bacon, with sell-by dates of September 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7, 2026
Both products list "Product of Canada" on the packaging and carry the Canadian establishment number "EST 1." Master case boxes also show the health certificate number 2026-S732971612. The bacon itself was produced between June 9 and June 15, 2026, then distributed to grocery outlets and retailers in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.
FSIS has classified this as a Class I recall, its most serious designation, reserved for situations where there's a reasonable chance a product could cause serious health problems or death. In this case, the risk stems from the missed inspection rather than any confirmed defect in the meat itself.
This bacon recall lands amid a string of other high-profile food safety issues playing out at the same time. A Salmonella outbreak tied to recalled eggs has grown to affect more than 19 million eggs nationwide, while a record-breaking Cyclospora outbreak linked to shredded lettuce, and possibly other food sources, has sickened thousands of people across multiple states.
As of now, there haven't been any confirmed illnesses or injuries tied to the recalled bacon. Still, FSIS says it's worried some of the product could still be sitting in refrigerators or freezers.
If you've got either of these bacon products in your kitchen, check the packaging for the sell-by dates and establishment number listed above. FSIS recommends either tossing the bacon or returning it to the place of purchase. Consumers with questions can contact Maple Leaf Foods directly at 416-518-5131.
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