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Farmfoods burger recall: what shoppers should do with batch 26A05
Two Farmfoods beef burger products are being recalled in Scotland because ingredients may not have been prepared under compliant food safety controls. Here is how to check the pack, avoid cross-contamination and handle replacement burgers safely.
Food Standards Scotland has issued a recall for two Farmfoods beef burger products. The affected products are packs of 8 Farmfoods Quarter Pounder Burgers and packs of 16 Farmfoods Beef Burgers, both carrying batch code 26A05. The official alert says ingredients were not prepared in compliance with food safety management systems, meaning the products could be unsafe.
The notice does not identify a specific pathogen or ingredient, so shoppers should not try to judge the risk by smell, appearance or cooking performance. The advice is straightforward: do not eat an affected pack. Return it to the store where it was purchased for a full refund. The complete product details are available in the Food Standards Scotland recall notice.
How to check your freezer
Start with the product name and the batch code, rather than relying on the pack size alone. The recall covers the 8-pack Quarter Pounder Burgers and the 16-pack Beef Burgers when the code printed on the packaging is 26A05. If you cannot read the code clearly, keep the product separate from other food and ask the retailer or Farmfoods for confirmation before using it.
If the pack is still sealed, place it in a separate bag or container in the freezer while you arrange its return. Do not open it to inspect the burgers, cook one as a test or serve it to anyone. A cooking step cannot be used as a substitute for following a recall notice, particularly when the official alert does not specify the nature of the possible safety failure.
If the pack has been opened
If you have handled the burgers, treat the packaging, plate, utensils and nearby worktop as potentially contaminated with raw meat juices. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and running water. Clean plates, tongs, knives, chopping boards and work surfaces with hot, soapy water before using them for ready-to-eat food.
Keep the recalled burgers and their juices away from bread, salad, sauces and cooked food. Use a separate plate for raw meat and cooked food, and do not return cooked burgers to a plate that held them while raw. The CDC’s ground beef handling guidance highlights undercooking and cross-contamination as two important ways ground beef can contribute to foodborne illness. Its findings concern restaurant practices, not this Farmfoods recall, but the kitchen controls are directly relevant at home.
If raw juices have leaked inside a refrigerator or freezer, remove nearby food from the area, wipe up the spill with disposable paper towels and wash the affected surface with hot, soapy water. Keep the recalled pack sealed during this process and follow the retailer’s instructions for returning it. If anyone becomes unwell after eating the product, seek medical advice and mention the recalled food.
What to do when cooking replacement burgers
Once you replace the recalled product, handle any raw minced meat as a higher-risk food. Unlike a whole steak, minced meat can carry bacteria from the outside throughout the patty. Browning the surface or seeing grill marks does not prove that the centre is safe.
For barbecue cooking, Food Standards Scotland advises keeping raw and cooked foods separate, turning food so it cooks evenly and using a food thermometer in the thickest part. Its barbecue food safety guidance says burgers should reach 75°C or above. The middle should be steaming hot, with no pink meat and clear juices. A thermometer is more dependable than colour alone, especially when a burger is thick or the outside browns quickly.
- Keep raw burgers chilled until you are ready to cook them.
- Use a clean plate and separate utensils for raw and cooked food.
- Cook the burgers evenly on both sides, moving them if necessary to avoid hot and cold spots.
- Check the centre of the thickest burger with a clean food thermometer.
- Serve only when the measured temperature and the visual checks indicate that the burger is fully cooked.
Pre-cooking burgers in an oven, pan or grill before finishing them on a barbecue can make temperature control easier, particularly when cooking for a group. Keep cooked food hot until serving and protect chilled ingredients from warm outdoor conditions.
The practical takeaway
This recall is a reminder that a product can look normal and still need to be withdrawn. Check the names and batch code before cooking, do not taste-test a recalled pack and return it for a refund. After that, focus on the basics that prevent problems with any replacement burger: clean hands and surfaces, strict separation between raw and cooked food, thorough cooking and a thermometer check at the centre.