Beef Tallow Recalled Due to Potential Food Safety Issues

The company behind the Lady May brand recalled over 30,000 pounds of tallow that did not undergo federally required food safety inspection.
Beef Tallow Recalled Due to Potential Food Safety Issues
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
Nearly 34,000 pounds of beef tallow sold nationwide under the Lady May brand have been recalled by Common Sense Soap, the New Hampshire company that processes, packages, and labels the rendered beef fat.

Common Sense Soap does not have the required federal grant of inspection necessary to produce food products, according to an announcement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

“The beef tallow products contain a nutrition facts label, leading people to believe that the product is safe for human consumption,” the agency said.

The recalled beef tallow, shipped to wholesalers and retailers nationwide, was labeled “PREMIUM QUALITY GOODS Grass-fed beef TALLOW Lady May ALL NATURAL.”

The affected products come in the following sizes:

  • 24-fluid-ounce glass jar
  • 2-pound plastic tub
  • 7.8-8-pound (1 gallon) plastic tub
  • 16-pound plastic tub

There haven’t been any reports of illnesses or other problems related to consumption of the recalled beef tallow.

Recalled products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase, the USDA said.

Beef tallow has become popular on social media as a skin-care cure-all for complaints like acne, dry skin, and scarring — although dermatologists remain skeptical.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has also promoted beef tallow as a healthier alternative to canola oil and other vegetable oils commonly known as seed oils.

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Common Sense Soap Recalls Beef Tallow Products Produced Without Benefit of Inspection. U.S. Department of Agriculture. February 12, 2025.
  2. Kennedy’s Confirmation in Top U.S. Health Job Could Boost Beef Tallow Demand. Reuters. February 14, 2025.
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Monroe Hammond

Author
Monroe Hammond joined Everyday Health in 2021 and now runs the news desk as an editor. They received a master’s degree from the Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY, as well as a bachelor’s degree in film and media studies from Emory University in Atlanta.

Hammond has written and edited explainers on a number of health and wellness topics, including racial disparities in HIV treatment, the metabolic benefits of cold exposure, how the flu shot works, and solutions for seasonal dermatology woes. They have also edited pieces on the latest developments from NASA, the health repercussions of climate change, and the cutting edge of quantum physics. Their work has appeared in Popular Science, Insider, Psychology Today, and Health Digest, among other outlets.

Before turning to journalism, Hammond taught English while living in Thailand and Malaysia. They were born and raised in the American South, and currently live in Brooklyn with their spouse, three cats, and too many houseplants to count.