Nearly 1.6 million pounds of meat voluntarily recalled nationwide
A Massachusetts company is voluntarily recalling nearly 1.6 million pounds of ready-to-eat cooked meat and poultry products because of a storage temperate issue.
Kayem Foods, Inc. and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced the recall last week and said the recall was initiated after "a cooling system malfunction at one of [Kayem's] warehouses that resulted in storage temperature deviations."
“We take food safety very seriously and apologize to our valued consumers," Kayem Foods President and CEO Matt Monkiewicz said in a statement. "Our management team takes full responsibility. We have learned from and corrected the issue and will not allow this to happen again.”
Recalled meats include a wide variety of products, from bacon, bologna, bratwurst and brisket to chicken sausage, corned beef, frankfurters, hot dogs and kielbasa. A full list of recalled products may be viewed on the USDA's website.
Meats need to be properly refrigerated or frozen to prevent food-borne illnesses and to ensure they are safe to eat. The USDA recommends refrigerating meats at a minimum of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or frozen at 0 degrees, and provides a cold storage chart for reference on the agency's website.
The recalled meat products were shipped nationwide and to Hong Kong and have the establishment numbers “EST. M/P 7839,” “EST. P 20935A” and “EST. M 9520” inside the USDA mark of inspection on product labels.
The FSIS said recalled meats were produced between about March 31 and Oct. 7. According to Kayem Foods, they were stored and shipped between June 7 and Oct. 14.
The USDA and Kayem Foods said no illnesses have been reported but anyone with recalled foods should not eat them. For anyone concerned about illnesses, the USDA advises seeking the input of a healthcare provider.
Kayem Foods said it is also reaching out to wholesale and retail customers about recalled products and providing instructions for product disposal.
Customers wishing to contact Kayem Foods can call the company's customer service line at 800-426-6100 or email info@kayem.com. Food safety questions may also be directed to the USDA's toll-free meat and poultry hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or emailed to MPHotline@usda.gov.
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