Cracklin’ Recall: What Louisiana Pork Lovers Need to Know

(KMDL-FM) What is Louisiana's "love language"? There are residents of our state who might answer quickly, music. They wouldn't be wrong. The music scene in New Orleans and Lafayette, and the surrounding area known as Acadiana is stellar.

Still, there are plenty of other Louisiana residents, again in the New Orleans, Lafayette, and Acadiana area, who might also answer the "love language" question by saying food. We've got our own unique flavors and recipes in Louisiana, so that answer makes sense too.

READ MORE: These Louisiana Scratch-Off Tickets Still Have Big Money Prizes

NEED TO KNOW: That Isn't "Fat" You've Been Eating With Your Crawfish

Perhaps we should just agree that when it comes to "love languages" Louisiana is bilingual speaking both music and food which is why today's news is very concerning because we've learned that the United States Department of Agriculture and the Food Safety Inspection Service have just issued a health alert recall on one of our most spoken food words, cracklin'.

Why Has USDA Issued a Health Alert for Crackling Products?

Okay, the USDA and FSIS call them "crackling" with the "g" on the end. Here in Louisiana, we often count the last letter of a word as silent. But we can't be silent when there is an issue facing cracklin'.

For the uninitiated, a "crackling", that's how the dictionary spells it, is the crisp, fatty skin of roast pork. Here in Louisiana, we deep fry those crackling until they are golden brown. Then we season the ever-living hell out of them with a myriad of flavor choices.

Up until now, the only health risks I ever associated with cracklin' were a broken tooth. Then I went to the cardiologist, but I am sticking with the broken tooth as the only real issue. As a man, I have learned how to avoid obvious medical issues by ignoring them.

But don't ignore this Health Alert from USDA and FSIS. If there is good news about the recall, it does not involve the crackling produced in Louisiana. This health alert is for pork cracklings imported from Colombia. In the Latin American nations, they refer to crackling as chicharron. 

Which Cracklings Are Under Scrutiny From Food Safety Inspectors?

The prepackaged portions of pork chicharron were shipped mainly to outlets in Florida and New York but it is possible some of those packages could have made their way into Louisiana stores, or perhaps if you're traveling and get the "envie" for cracklin' here's what not to pick up at that store on the way to Disney World.

There are a few other products included in the recall, and you can view their labels by following this link from the USDA. The reason for the recall is pretty simple: Colombia is not eligible to import meat products into the United States. And if we are being truly technically correct in our reporting, there isn't actually a "recall" anymore. That's because those items are no longer available for purchase.

This alert is more for consumers who may have purchased packaged crackling or chicharron in the days before this notice went public.

Now, about those seasonings you might choose to put on your Louisiana, made God's way, cracklin'.