USDA orders recall of over 1.5 million pounds of ready-to-eat meats from Kayak Foods
The USDA has issued a voluntary recall of more than 1.5 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products from Kayem Foods after storage problems were reported.
Over the weekend the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a top-level recall covering 1,584,361 pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry from Kayem Foods Inc., a century-old, fourth-generation firm in Chelsea, Massachusetts. The affected range includes deli hams, ham steaks, beef, bacon, hot dogs, chicken meatballs, turkey breasts, al fresco sausages, kielbasa, Polish loaf, extra-lean corned beef and liverwurst, among others, shipped to U.S. retailers, food-service outlets and even Hong Kong.
The problem surfaced after a customer reported that the products arrived warm on October 1, prompting an investigation that found improper storage at a Kayem warehouse. While the Food Safety and Inspection Service has not recorded any food-borne illness linked to the items, it advises anyone who purchased them to throw them away or return them. Kayem Foods’ president and CEO Matt Monkiewicz issued an apology, emphasizing the company’s commitment to safety and stating that corrective steps have been taken. The firm is also reaching out directly to wholesale and retail partners with guidance on identifying and disposing of the recalled goods.
Why it matters
Consumers may have unsafe meat in their homes, and the recall highlights food-safety oversight for a major supplier.
In this story
