Pilgrim’s Pride Recalling Chicken Products after Reports of Contamination
Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation, the largest chicken producer in the United States, recently announced a huge recall that affects the company’s cooked chicken products.
The recall was issued after reports of contamination in the company’s food products, with consumers finding various materials, such as metal, plastic, rubber and wood in the packaging. Additionally, federal meat inspectors with the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conducted an inspection of the Pilgrim’s Pride production facility in Waco, Texas and also discovered contamination of food items.
In early April, Pilgrim’s Pride recalled nearly 41,000 pounds of cooked chicken nugget items. Now the recall is set to expand after the company announced that consumers should return, or dispose of, more than 4.5 million pounds of fully cooked chicken products.
One of the reasons for the expanded recall is that many of the Pilgrim’s Pride chicken products are distributed to US schools, putting children at risk of illness or injury. Company records indicate that the chicken products were shipped nationwide and then purchased by institutions, including schools, through various commercial channels.
The recalled items, which include breaded chicken nuggets, patties and popcorn fritters, were distributed in 10-pound boxes, 20-pound boxes, 30-pound boxes and five-pound bags. According to the USDA, the affected items all have the USDA inspection mark “EST.20728,” so consumers should look for that mark on any Pilgrim’s Pride products that they have purchased. Most of the affected chicken products were produced between August 21, 2014 and March 1, 2016.
It is important to note that there have been no confirmed reports of illnesses from anyone consuming the potentially contaminated chicken products. Additionally, the recall was issued voluntarily. Of course, one major reason for the voluntary recall is likely a desire by Pilgrim’s Pride to avoid product liability lawsuits in the event that consumers do sustain illnesses as a result of eating contaminated chicken.
For more information about this product recall, view the CBSNews.com article, “Pilgrim’s Pride Orders Massive Recall of Cooked Chicken Products.”
If you or someone you love has suffered an illness as a result of using a defective product or consuming a contaminated food item, you should speak with a skilled product liability attorney immediately. The New Jersey personal injury and product liability lawyers at Drazin and Warshaw, P.C. have more than 70 years of combined experience handling defective product cases in New Jersey. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation about your case.
