Approximately 1.6 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry items, such as hot dogs, bacon, brisket, and ham, are under a recall due to potential “temperature abuse” during storage, as reported by federal officials.
Kayem Foods Inc. has voluntarily recalled around 1,584,361 pounds of these products, according to the announcement made by the Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) over the weekend.
FSIS has classified this recall at its highest level, indicating there is a “reasonable probability” that consuming the affected items could lead to “serious, adverse health consequences or death.”
The meat and poultry products were widely distributed to retail and foodservice locations in the U.S., as well as shipped to Hong Kong.
These products were produced from March 31 to October 7 and contain establishment numbers marked as “EST. M/P 7839,” “EST. P 20935A,” and “EST. M 9520” within the USDA inspection mark.
Kayem Foods has provided an extensive list of affected products, which features items like Kayem Beef & Pork Hot Dogs, Kayem Double Smoked Thick Cut Bacon, and Genoa Hot Ham, among others.
The issue was brought to light following a customer complaint regarding warm product temperatures upon delivery on October 1. Upon investigation, it was found that various ready-to-eat meat and poultry items were stored in a cooler that had significant temperature fluctuations.
This temperature deviation was attributed to a malfunction in the cooling system at one of Kayem’s warehouses. The company has since rectified the situation and, in an abundance of caution, initiated the recall.
Fortunately, there have not been any confirmed reports of illness resulting from these products. Still, anyone concerned about potential symptoms is advised to consult a healthcare provider.
FSIS has expressed concern that some of these recalled items may still be present in consumer homes. Thus, those who have bought these products should refrain from consuming them and consider either disposing of them or returning them to the original point of purchase.
