Tyson has recalled nearly 70,000 pounds of chicken strips because they might contain metal.
The Arkansas-based company said it was recalling 69,093 pounds of frozen, ready-to-eat chicken products.
The products “may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically pieces of metal,” the Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced.
The products were produced on Nov. 30, 2018. The problem was discovered when two people who bought the strips sent complaints to the service about the metal.
The company didn’t explain how pieces of metal could end up in pieces of chicken.
The following products were part of the recall:
—25-oz. plastic bag packages of frozen “Tyson FULLY COOKED BUFFALO STYLE CHICKEN STRIPS CHICKEN BREAST STRIP FRITTERS WITH RIB MEAT AND BUFFALO STYLE SAUCE” with “BEST IF USED BY NOV 30 2019,” case codes 3348CNQ0317 and 3348CNQ0318, and individual bag time stamps from 17:00 through 18:59 hours (inclusive).
—25-oz. plastic bag packages of frozen “Tyson FULLY COOKED CRISPY CHICKEN STRIPS CHICKEN BREAST STRIP FRITTERS WITH RIB MEAT” with “BEST IF USED BY NOV 30 2019,” case codes 3348CNQ0419, 3348CNQ0420, 3348CNQ0421, and 3348CNQ0422, and individual bag time stamps from 19:00 through 22:59 hours (inclusive).
—20-lb. cases of frozen “SPARE TIME FULLY COOKED, BUFFALO STYLE CHICKEN STRIPS CHICKEN BREAST STRIP FRITTERS WITH RIB MEAT AND BUFFALO STYLE SAUCE” with “BEST IF USED BY NOV 30 2019,” and case code 3348CNQ03.
All the products bear the establishment number “P-7221” on the back of the package.
The Tyson chicken strips were shipped and sold nationwide in addition to being used at institutions in Michigan and Washington state.
Anyone who has the products should throw them away or return them to where they bought them from for a refund.
People with questions can contact Tyson Foods Consumer Relations at 1-866-886-8456.
Tyson Recalls Chicken Nuggets
Tyson also recalled more than 36,000 pounds of chicken nuggets earlier this year because they may have been contaminated with rubber.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service said in an alert on Jan. 30, that the problem was discovered when the company received consumer complaints that Panko Chicken Nugget products contained an extraneous foreign material that did not seem to be chicken.
“Tyson Foods Inc., a Sedalia, Mo. establishment, is recalling approximately 36,420 pounds of chicken nugget products that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically rubber,” FSIS said. The government agency added that FSIS received notification on Jan. 29 that there was a problem with the processed meat product.
Tyson representatives cited by ABC 6 described the material as “small pieces of soft, blue plastic in the nuggets.”
The recall covers 5-pound plastic packages of Tyson White Meat Panko Chicken Nuggets. The products feature the “Best if used by” date stamp of “Nov. 26, 2019.”
FSIS said the recalled nuggets have a case code “3308SDL03” and time stamps “23:00 through 01:59 (inclusive).” It added that the products were shipped nationwide and have the establishment number “P-13556” inside the USDA mark of inspection.
No reports have been received so far about any illness or adverse health reactions by consumers who may have eaten the contaminated nuggets.
But federal health officials warn some products may be in consumers’ freezers and are warning people not to eat them.
“These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase,” the Food Safety and Inspection Service said.
The Epoch Times reporter Tom Ozimek contributed to this report.
