Kayem Foods Inc. has recalled more than 1.5 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry items because a warehouse cooling failure left products exposed to improper temperatures, federal regulators announced over the weekend.
The recall by the Chelsea, Massachusetts-based meat producer covers 1,584,361 pounds of packaged goods shipped to retail locations and food service providers across the country and in Hong Kong, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.
Affected brands include Kayem, Al Fresco, McKenzie, Triple M, Genoa, Deutschmacher and Jordan’s. Products subject to the action encompass an expansive variety of packaged meats, such as hot dogs, bacon, deli hams, chicken meatballs, turkey breasts, smoked brisket, kielbasa and liverwurst.
Discovery and inspection details
According to federal inspectors, the issue surfaced after a retail client contacted the manufacturer on Oct. 1 to report that products had arrived warm at delivery. An internal inquiry determined that various inventory items had been kept in a cold-storage facility that suffered unexpected temperature swings.
The agency stated that the recalled meats were manufactured between March 31 and Oct. 7 of this year. Kayem Foods said the items were held and shipped between June 7 and Oct. 14.
Federal officials said no confirmed illnesses linked to the recalled meats have been reported. However, health regulators expressed concern that consumers could still have the affected products stored in household refrigerators or freezers. Consumers are urged not to eat the items and should either discard them or return them to their place of purchase for a refund.
Shoppers can identify the affected items by examining product packaging for the USDA marks of inspection. The recalled products bear the establishment codes “EST. M/P 7839,” “EST. P 20935A,” or “EST. M 9520.”
Company response and wider recalls
Kayem Foods, a family-owned business established in 1909, said it is notifying wholesale and retail distributors to remove the goods from shelves.
“Our business depends on providing consumers with safe food of the highest quality,” Kayem Foods President and CEO Matt Monkiewicz said in a statement. “Out of an abundance of caution, we are undertaking this voluntary recall.”
Monkiewicz apologized to consumers, adding that company leaders take full responsibility and have taken steps to correct the warehouse problem to prevent future breakdowns.
The massive meat recall comes amid a cluster of food safety warnings issued by federal regulators in recent days, according to Gizmodo. Over the weekend, the Food and Drug Administration flagged several other nationwide and regional product recalls across multiple grocery categories.
Those actions include a recall by Lidl US of 16-ounce containers of Gelatelli Coffee & Vanilla Gelato distributed in nine eastern states and Washington, D.C., due to potential listeria contamination. Separately, Family Farmstead Dairy issued a recall for raw cheddar cheese across seven states following the detection of E. coli during testing in Maryland, while Krasnyi Oktyabr Inc. recalled smoked salmon across six states after New York state agriculture officials identified listeria during routine testing. In addition, Gearharts Fine Chocolates recalled confections distributed across 16 states after broken glass was discovered in finished candy, the FDA announced.
Consumers seeking more information regarding the meat recall can reach Kayem Foods customer service by calling 800-426-6100 or emailing [email protected].
