Product Recall: 6,000 Pounds Of Ready-To-Eat Chicken Products Pulled Over Misbranding

KEY POINTS

The product may contain shellfish, an allergen that was not specified on the package
The problem was discovered through a customer complaint about shrimp in the item
Walmart has provided a list of stores the products were sold at in over 20 states

A company is recalling 6,000 pounds of chicken products because of a misbranding issue — they may contain an undeclared allergen.

The recalled product, "InnovAsian Crispy Chicken with Almonds Entrée" by Mountain View Packaging, may contain shellfish that's not declared on the product's label, according to the announcement on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) website. The issue was discovered through a customer complaint about the presence of shrimp in the product.

Shellfish are among the most common food allergens, noted the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI). Under the Consumer Protection Act of 2004, the presence of crustacean shellfish in a food product is required to be declared "in clear language."

"Within the shellfish family, the crustacean group (shrimp, lobster and crab) causes the greatest number of allergic reactions," the organization noted. "Fortunately, shellfish is an ingredient that is rarely 'hidden' in foods."

As of the recall announcement, there have been no reports of adverse reactions related to the recalled product.

The recall affects the frozen, ready-to-eat InnovAsian Crispy Chicken with Almonds Entrée products that came in 18.5-oz packs and had the UPC code 695119120499, lot code 22321-1, and best-by date of 05/24/2023.

Photos of the product's packaging can be found here. In total, some 6,013 pounds of the product are being recalled.

The products were said to have been shipped to retail locations "nationwide," according to the FSIS. Walmart also issued an announcement about the recall as the product was sold in "select Walmart stores" in more than 20 states, and provided a full list of the Walmart stores they were sold in.

"FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers' or retailers' freezers," the agency noted. "Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them and retailers are urged not to sell them."

Those who find that they are in possession of the recalled chicken product may take them back to where it was bought from. Anyone with questions may contact the InnovAsian hotline at 1-800-324-5140.

Meanwhile, questions about food safety may be shared with the USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854.