Trader Joe’s “Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage” is part of Kayem Foods’s big recall of nearly 30 tons of fully cooked chicken sausage products that may be contaminated with bits of plastic inside the meat. Other resellers include the Al Fresco label.
The issue was realized after the Chelsea, Mass.-based company received complaints from two consumers who informed them that they discovered small pieces of plastic in the sausage. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced the recall earlier this month of April 2015.
The products have the establishment number “P7839” printed inside the USDA mark of inspection and were shipped to retail locations nationwide. The chicken sausage products were produced on various dates in March 2015 and the following products are being recalled:
- 12-oz. packages of Trader Joe’s brand “Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage” with the case code 9605 and use by/freeze by dates of “4 22 15,” “4 25 15,” and “4 29 15.”
- 8-oz. packages of Al Fresco brand “Apple Maple Fully Cooked Breakfast Chicken Sausage” with the case code 9709 and use by/freeze by dates of “JUN 13 2015” and “JUN 20 2015.”
Both Kayem Foods and the Food Safety and Inspection Service haven’t received reports of any injuries associated with eating the products. This is a Class II recall which means there is a “remote possibility of adverse health consequences” that could occur after eating it.
Trader Joe says that they have removed and destroyed the affected product from their stores and urge you not to eat it if you have purchased one of these packages. You are encouraged to discard the product or return it to any Trader Joe’s for a full refund.
Trader Joe asks you to call the Trader Joe’s Customer Relations hotline at (626) 599-3817 [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][Monday through Friday, 6:00 am to 6:00 pm Pacific Time] or send an email here if you have any questions.
Over the last couple of years Trader Joe’s has had several recalls of products sold under its house brand, including:
- In 2012, Trader Joe’s recall of peanut butter (also for salmonella) developed into one of the largest food recalls in U.S. history. Also in 2012, Trader Joe’s butter chicken and three tons of BBQ chicken salad were recalled for listeria.
- In 2013, salads and wraps (due to E. coli contamination)
- In 2014, recalls for raw almond butter, stone fruit (peaches, nectarines, plums) and hummus.
- March 2015, five varieties of raw walnuts were recalled related to potential salmonella contamination. Also in 2015, A Dozen Sweet Bites product were recalled because the product contained coconut, which is not listed in the ingredient panel and Trader Joe’s Cinnamon Almonds (SKU 76143) were recalled due to the possibility that the product may have contain undeclared peanuts.
For a complete list of Trader Joe recalls, click here.
