USDA Recalls 946 Pounds of Imperio Beef Jerky Sold Across Seven States

The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service is recalling 946 pounds of ready-to-eat beef jerky from Imperio Distribution LLC of Elgin, Illinois, because the products were produced without federal inspection and carried an unauthorized USDA mark of inspection.

The recall, announced by FSIS, covers products packaged from January 2026 through October 2026. That is a ten-month production window, meaning some of the affected jerky has had a long stretch to reach store shelves and household pantries across the Midwest.

The agency has confirmed no reports of illness or injury linked to consumption of the products.

What products are covered?

All three recalled items are 2 oz. sealed bags sold under the Imperio brand:

• "IMPERIO FUEGO BEEF JERKY (CARNE SECA)"
• "IMPERIO ORIGINAL BEEF JERKY (CARNE SECA)"
• "IMPERIO LIMÓN BEEF JERKY (CARNE SECA)"

The misbranding issue goes beyond a label error. According to FSIS, the recalled bags carry the unapproved use of another facility's mark of inspection, identified as establishment number "1885" inside the USDA mark of inspection. In other words, the products claim federal oversight that a different plant actually holds.

Where was the jerky sold?

The recalled products were distributed to retail locations in seven states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin.

FSIS discovered the problem during routine surveillance activities, not through an illness report or a consumer complaint. That distinction matters for retailers and distributors in the affected markets: the recall emerged from regulator oversight, and the agency is concerned some product may still be sitting in consumer refrigerators or pantries or on retailer shelves.

What does this change for retailers and consumers?

For retailers in the seven-state footprint, the practical task is pulling three SKUs of 2 oz. Imperio jerky bags from shelves and checking inventory against the packaging dates. For consumers, FSIS's guidance is direct: do not eat the products, and either throw them away or return them to the place of purchase.

The health rationale is structural rather than speculative. Food produced without inspection, FSIS notes, may contain undeclared allergens, harmful bacteria, or other contaminants that put consumer health and safety at risk. Because no inspector verified the process, there is no federal record of what went into the jerky or how it was handled — which is why the agency treats even asymptomatic recalls of this type as a priority.

Anyone concerned about a possible illness or injury related to the products should contact a healthcare provider, FSIS said.

Why the phony inspection mark raises the stakes

A missing inspection is one problem. An unauthorized USDA seal referencing another establishment — number 1885 — compounds it, because the mark is the federal signal that a product passed inspection. FSIS surveillance caught the discrepancy, and the recall now covers the full packaging period in which the mislabeled bags moved through the supply chain.

With distribution spanning seven states and a production window stretching to October 2026, the remaining question is how much of the 946 pounds is still in circulation — and retailers' speed in clearing it will determine the recall's final footprint.