Dive Brief:
- Tyson is recalling 132,520 pounds of cooked chicken nuggets due to possible contamination with foreign materials, USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced Tuesday.
- Consumers complained they found hard white plastic pieces in the product, but no reports of adverse reactions to eating the product have surfaced.
- The pieces may have come from a round, hard plastic rod Tyson used to connect a plastic transfer belt.
Dive Insight:
Much of the scrutiny on recalls and recall prevention activities are focused on pathogen contamination, such as listeria, E. coli and salmonella. These and mislabeled allergens remain among the leading causes of recalls in the U.S.
But contamination by foreign materials is also common. Pre-merger Kraft initiated a recall last year because of metal shavings in its Macaroni and Cheese, and another recall a month later because the wrapper stuck to some Kraft Singles, presenting a choking hazard. More recently, several manufacturers and retailers have recalled products because they contained sugar contaminated with metal pieces. However, the sugar supplier's identity remains unknown, per the FDA's citation of corporate confidentiality laws.
These recalls show the importance of regular examination of operations and equipment to spot risks of foreign materials contaminating products during processing. Compliance with FSMA's preventive controls rule could alleviate some of these issues. But staying on top of equipment inspections and maintenance is critical to reducing the risk of these types of recalls.