What to Know
- There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions, but some customers complained they got contaminated nuggets
- According to Tyson Foods, the plastic material ranged in size from 21mm in length and 6.5mm in diameter
- Anyone who purchased the recalled nuggets is advised to throw them out or return them to the store
More than 130,000 pounds of cooked chicken nuggets are being recalled over concern they may be contaminated with hard plastic, federal officials say.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced the Tyson Foods Inc. recall Tuesday, classifying it as a Class I Recall, meaning the risk to consumers is considered high.
The cooked Panko chicken nuggets subject to the recall were produced on July 18 and include the following products:
- 5-lb. bag containing “Tyson FULLY COOKED PANKO CHICKEN NUGGETS” with a “Best If Used By” date of July 18, 2017 and case code 2006SDL03 and 2006SDL33.
- 20-lb. bulk packages containing “SPARE TIME Fully Cooked, Panko Chicken Nuggets, Nugget Shaped Chicken Breast Pattie Fritters With Rib Meat” with a production date of July 18, 2016 and case code 2006SDL03.
The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 13556” printed adjacent to the “Best If Used By” date on the back of the package. The 20-pound cases were shipped for institutional use in Pennsylvania and the five-pound bags were shipped to retail locations nationally.
The problem was discovered after Tyson received consumer complaints about plastic in the nuggets. According to Tyson Foods, the material ranged in size from 21mm in length and 6.5mm in diameter and may have come from a round, hard plastic rod used to connect a plastic transfer belt.
The firm said the products pass through a metal detector, but the plastic is not detectable to this technology.
There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a health care provider.
Consumers who purchased the recalled nuggets should throw them out or return them to the place of purchase.
