Nearly 1.6 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products, including hot dogs, bacon, brisket, and ham, are facing a nationwide recall due to potential “temperature abuse” during storage, according to federal officials.
Kayem Foods Inc. issued a voluntary recall for approximately 1,584,361 pounds of ready-to-eat food items, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced over the weekend.
The FSIS has given the recall its highest-level classification, indicating a “reasonable probability” that consuming the affected products could cause “serious, adverse health consequences or death.”
Nearly 1.6 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products are facing a recall. (USDA)
The meat and poultry products were shipped to retail and foodservice locations across the country, as well as to Hong Kong.
The affected items were produced approximately from March 31 through Oct. 7. The products bear establishment numbers “EST. M/P 7839,” “EST. P 20935A,” and “EST. M 9520” inside the USDA mark of inspection.
Kayem Foods Inc. has provided a nine-page list of all the affected items, which includes Kayem Beef & Pork Hot Dogs, Kayem Double Smoked Thick Cut Bacon, Kayem Slow Smoked Beef Brisket, Genoa Hot Ham, Al Fresco Roasted Pepper & Asiago Chicken Sausage, and Triple M Boneless Ham Steaks.
Kayem Foods Inc. issued a voluntary recall for about 1,584,361 pounds of ready-to-eat food items. (USDA)
The issue was discovered after the company received a retail customer complaint regarding warm product temperatures at the point of delivery on October 1.
The firm investigated the complaint and determined that they had stored various ready-to-eat meat and poultry products in a warehouse cooler that experienced temperature deviations.
Kayem stated that the temperature deviations resulted from a cooling-system malfunction at one of its warehouses. The company noted that it has corrected the issue and is conducting the recall out of an abundance of caution.
There have been no confirmed reports of illness linked to the consumption of these products. (J. David Ake/Getty Images / Getty Images)
There have been no confirmed reports of illness linked to the consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness is urged to contact a healthcare provider.
The FSIS has expressed concern that some affected items may still be in consumers’ refrigerators.
Consumers who have purchased these products are directed not to consume them and to instead throw them away or return them to the place of purchase.