USA – Tyson Foods is voluntarily recalling 11,829,517 (about 12 million pounds) pounds of frozen, ready-to-eat chicken strip products due to possible contamination with foreign matter, specifically pieces of metal.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announcement, frozen, ready-to-eat chicken strip items were produced on various dates from Oct. 1, 2018 through March 8, 2019 and have “Use By Dates” of Oct. 1, 2019 through March 7, 2020.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “P-7221” on the back of the product package.

These items were shipped to retail and Department of Defense locations nationwide, for institutional use nationwide and to the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The problem was discovered when FSIS received two consumer complaints of extraneous material in the chicken strip products.

“FSIS is now aware of six complaints during this time frame involving similar pieces of metal with three alleging oral injury.

“Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.

FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ freezers.

“Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase,” noted FSIS in a statement.

The recall includes Tyson® branded products as well as private label products made for customers.

The recall is an extension of a voluntary recall originally issued on March 21, 2019 of chicken strip products manufactured between October 1, 2018 and March 8, 2019.

Speaking on the recall, Barbara Masters, DVM, vice president of regulatory food policy, food and agriculture for Tyson Foods said: “Consumers expect that the food they eat is safe.

“In their best interest and in an abundance of caution we’re taking quick and decisive action to expand this recall.

“Our company is taking corrective action at the location that makes these products.

“We have discontinued use of the specific equipment believed to be associated with the metal fragments, and we will be installing metal-detecting X-ray machinery to replace the plant’s existing metal-detection system.

“We will also be using a third-party video auditing system for metal-detection verification.”  

In January, Tyson recalled about 36,420 pounds of White Meat Panko chicken nuggets over possible contamination with rubber.