Tyson Foods Recall: Chicken Strips Possibly Contaminated With Metal

Tyson Foods, Inc. is recalling approximately 69,000 pounds of frozen, ready-to-eat chicken strip products over fear of possible metal contamination, the Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced late Thursday.

The chicken strip items were produced Nov. 30. No injuries or illnesses resulting from the contamination have been reported so far. The products subject to recall bear establishment number “P-7221” on the back of the product package.

The following products are subject to recall:

1. 25-oz. plastic bag packages of frozen “Tyson fully cooked buffalo style chicken strips chicken breast strip fritters with rib meat and buffalo style sauce” with “Best If Used By Nov. 30 2019,” case codes 3348CNQ0317 and 3348CNQ0318, and individual bag time stamps from 17:00 through 18:59 hours (inclusive).
2. 25-oz. plastic bag packages of frozen “Tyson Fully cooked crispy chicken strips chicken breast strip fritters with rib meat” with “Best If Used By Nov. 30 2019,” case codes 3348CNQ0419, 3348CNQ0420, 3348CNQ0421, and 3348CNQ0422, and individual bag time stamps from 19:00 through 22:59 hours (inclusive).
3. 20-lb. cases of frozen “Spare time fully cooked, buffalo style chicken strips chicken breast strip fritters with rib meat and buffalo style sauce” with “Best If Used By Nov 30 2019,” and case code 3348CNQ03.

"For product clarification, the last two digits of the product case codes correspond to the hour produced and will match the first two numbers of the time stamp," FSIS said on its website.

In a statement, Tyson Foods said the products to be recalled include “65,313 pounds of Tyson Fully Cooked Buffalo Style Chicken Strips and Fully Cooked Crispy Chicken Strips sold to retailers in 25-ounce bags, and 3,780 pounds of Spare Time branded Fully Cooked Buffalo Style Chicken Strips sold to retailers and correctional institutions in 20-pound boxes.”

The company also said that while concern had been raised about only two packages, “out of an abundance of caution, the company is recalling these products.”

The concerned products were sent to distribution centers in Arkansas, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin, the company said.

An investigation into possible contamination began after FSIS received two consumer complaints of "extraneous" material in the chicken strip products. The FSIS said "anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider."

FSIS also raised concerns that some of the contaminated product may be in consumers’ freezers, and urged them not to consume these products.

"These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase," health authorities said.

On Thursday, Tyson Foods, Inc. (TSN) closed at $66.52 on the New York Stock Exchange, ending the day 2.53 percent higher.