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Kansas slaughterhouse recalls 406,000 pounds of cattle heads

HARPER, Kan. (AP)--A Kansas slaughterhouse has voluntarily recalled more than 200 tons of frozen cattle heads because tonsil parts were not completely removed.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said April 7 a processor reported that some of the product from Elkhorn Valley Packing in Harper had incomplete removal of the tonsils. Removal of tonsils from all ages of cattle is required because of the risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

Brain and eye also are a risk material if the animal is older than 30 months, but Elkhorn owner Mike Grant said the animals in question were younger than that.

Cattle heads are sold primarily for parts used to make menudo, a traditional Mexican dish.

Grant noted the weight of heads recalled--406,000 pounds--is somewhat misleading because that is the amount sold since January 2006.