Frozen Chicken Recall: Small Pieces of Plastic in Stuffed Chicken Meals

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has announced a frozen chicken recall for over 6,000 pounds of Barber Foods and Market Day meals with stuffing. Small pieces of plastic were found in some of the products, which could pose a potential risk of injury if the meals are consumed.

Barber Foods Company, based in Portland, ME, issued the recall after at least one consumer found small pieces of plastic in a frozen, stuffed chicken carving roast with cranberry and sage stuffing.

The recall applies to products produced on November 13, 2008, which were distributed by Market Day in the Midwest and Eastern United States and by Barber Foods to institutional food service locations.

The two products subject to this frozen chicken recall include:

• Market Day Stuffed Chicken Breast Roast with Rib Meat, with Cranberry and Sage Stuffing: Product code 1037, CAT. C can be found on all sides of its box as well as establishment number P-276 inside the USDA mark of inspection. Date code 31881 is printed at the top of the ingredient statement.
•  Barber Foods DISTINCTIONS Barber Carver with Cranberry and Sage Stuffing: This product can be identified by establishment number P-276 in the USDA mark as well as product code 031484 on the case label. On the top of the case is date code 31881 or 31882.

According to the recall notice posted by the U.S.D.A., the potential manufacturing problems which may have allowed small pieces of plastic to be packaged with the foods appears to be limited to these products.

Last year, Nestle Prepared Foods issued a similar recall as a result of plastic which was found in Lean Cuisine, Lean Pocket and Hot Pocket frozen meals. While their initial recall issued on July 14, 2008, after the first consumer complaints, only included about 200,000 pounds of Lean Pocket Spinach Artichoke Chicken Sandwiches, subsequent recalls were issued on August 21, 2008, for 200,000 pounds of Hot Pockets Pepperoni Pizza Sandwiches and on November 17, 2008, for over 875,000 pounds of Lean Cuisine Chicken Meals.