USDA recalls contaminated sausage meat

A batch of pork sausage meat that may be contaminated with metal fragments has been recalled by the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA’s) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

Kenosha Beef International, based in Wisconsin, produced the 89,235lb of frozen pork sausage patty products, which were manufactured on 13 May.

The products being recalled are 24oz cartons of Johnsonville Grillers cheddar cheese and bacon flavour, and 13.5lb cases of Johnsonville Grillers cheddar cheese and bacon flavour, containing nine 24oz cartons of the product. They are labelled with the establishment number ‘EST 425B’ with a best before date of 29 December 2015.

The products were shipped to retail locations in Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, Texas and Wisconsin.

Consumer complaints

The problem was discovered after the firm began receiving consumer complaints that small pieces of metal were being found in the products. The source of the extraneous material is unknown at this time.

FSIS and the company have received no reports of oral injuries, adverse reactions or illness due to consumption of these products. 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.

FSIS said it routinely conducted recall effectiveness checks to verify firms were notifying their customers of the recall and that steps were taken to make certain the product is no longer available to consumers.