Minnesota-based poultry company GNP has recalled an estimated 55,608 pounds of its chicken products due to a possible foreign matter contamination, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Saturday, June 18.
According to the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the recall involves products that were produced between June 6 and June 9.
The retail item being recalled, clarifies Christina Milanowski, a spokeswoman of GNP Company, is Just BARE Whole Chicken (UPC 024105594057), sold in 4-pound poly-bags, with a use-by date stamp of "6/26/16."
"No other Just BARE whole chicken size, tray pack or deli products are affected," Milanowski said.
"Only one of the products being recalled is sold in grocery stores," she added. "The rest are sold through foodservice and institutional outlets where consumers can't buy them."
The FSIS provides a complete list of labels for GNP chicken products affected by the recall.
Possible Foreign Matter Contamination
The products affected by GNP Company's recall contain a "P-322" establishment number, which can be found inside the USDA's inspection mark. These products have been shipped to various locations in the United States for retail and food service distribution.
The FSIS said the problem with the products was identified when GNP informed the agency that several black soil and sand particulates were discovered in some of its chicken products. GNP is now working with law enforcement authorities to investigate the possible source of the contamination.
As of the moment, no reports have been made regarding any person suffering from adverse reactions after eating chicken products affected by the recall. However, consumers are still urged to contact their healthcare provider if they experience any illness related to the recalled items.
People who have bought any of the affected products are advised not to eat them anymore and either throw them away or return them to the store where they purchased them.
The FSIS regularly conducts checks on recall effectiveness to make sure that companies which issue a product recall properly notify consumers about the concern and they undertake steps to pull out all affected products from the market.
Consumers who may have questions regarding GNP's product recall can call the Customer Representative Supervisor's office at (800) 328-2838, while the media can contact the Corporate Relations Manager's office at (320) 240-6290.
For food safety concerns, consumers can contact the FSIS through its "Ask Karen" virtual representative at AskKaren.gov. The agency can also be contacted through its toll-free hotline at 1-888-674-6854.
Photo: U.S. Department of Agriculture | Flickr
