The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) published the voluntary Class I recall notice on Tuesday for the products produced at the company’s Sedalia, Mo. establishment.
The fully cooked Panko Chicken Nuggets were produced on July 18, 2016, and bear the establishment number “EST. 13556″ printed next to the “Best If Used By” date on the back of the package.
The recalled products include the following:
1.0 – 5-lb. bag containing “Tyson FULLY COOKED PANKO CHICKEN NUGGETS” with a “Best If Used By” date of July 18, 2017, and case code 2006SDL03 and 2006SDL33.
2.0 – 20-lb. bulk packages containing “SPARE TIME Fully Cooked, Panko Chicken Nuggets, Nugget Shaped Chicken Breast Pattie Fritters With Rib Meat” with a production date of July 18, 2016, and case code 2006SDL03.
Based on a notice on the Tyson Foods website, the problem was discovered after a small number of consumers contacted the company to report they had found small pieces of hard, white plastic in the chicken nuggets. Tyson says that while the plastic pieces had only been found in a small number of packages, out of an abundance of caution, the entire lot was being recalled.
According to Tyson Foods, the plastic material ranged in size from 21mm in length and 6.5mm in diameter and may have come from a round, hard plastic rod used to connect a plastic transfer belt. The firm said the products pass through a metal detector, but the plastic is not detectable to this technology.
Tyson also says the 20-pound bulk packages were sold to one wholesaler in Pennsylvania. But the five-pound packages were distributed to Costco locations nationwide.
Consumers are urged to not consume the recalled products. The products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. Consumers with questions may call Tyson Consumer Relations at 866-328-3156 or e-mail comments@tyson.com.
