There have been no confirmed reports of illness due to consumption of the ready-to-eat meats

NEED TO KNOW

• Kayem Foods Inc. is recalling approximately 1,584,361 pounds of its ready-to-eat meat and poultry products
• The recalled products “may have experienced temperature abuse during storage,” according to the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service
• No illnesses have been reported in connection with the recall

More than 1.5 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products have been recalled nationwide because they may not have been kept under safe temperature conditions.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced on Saturday, Oct. 17, that Kayem Foods Inc. had recalled approximately 1,584,361 pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products because the products “may have experienced temperature abuse during storage.”

The agency classified the recall as Class I, its highest risk level. A Class I recall means that a “reasonable probability” exists that using or being exposed to affected items “will cause serious adverse health consequences or death,” per FDA guidance.

“Our business depends on providing consumers with safe food of the highest quality,” Kayem Foods President and CEO Matt Monkiewicz said in a statement posted on the company’s website. “Out of an abundance of caution, we are undertaking this voluntary recall.”

“We take food safety very seriously and apologize to our valued consumers. Our management team takes full responsibility. We have learned from and corrected the issue and will not allow this to happen again,” he said.

The items were produced between March 31 and Oct. 7 and bear establishment numbers “EST. M/P 7839,” “EST. P 20935A” and “EST. M 9520” inside the USDA mark of inspection.

The affected items include sausages made with pork and chicken, bacon, brisket and hot dogs. A full list of recalled products and UPC codes can be viewed on the USDA’s website.

Recalled items were shipped to retail and foodservice locations across the U.S. and in Hong Kong, per the FSIS.

The potential “temperature abuse” was discovered after the company received a customer complaint regarding “warm product temperatures at point of delivery” on Oct. 1, the FSIS said in its notice.

After an investigation, the company determined that it stored various ready-to-eat meat and poultry products in a warehouse cooler that experienced temperature deviations, per FSIS.

Although there have been no confirmed reports of illness from consuming these products, there are concerns that some products may be in consumers’ refrigerators. 

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Those who have purchased the recalled products are asked to discard or return the items to the place of purchase for a refund, per the recall notice.

Kayem Foods said it is contacting its wholesale and retail customers with instructions to identify and dispose of the recalled products.

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