IA Establishment Recalls 185,000 Lbs of Bacon After Receiving Metal Complaint

Update - May 26, 2022: Additional products have been identified containing the bacon toppings. Please view the additional products within “view labels” below. Consumers should check back frequently as additional products could be added.  

Smithfield Packaged Meats Corp., a Sioux Center, Iowa establishment, is recalling approximately 185,610 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) bacon topping products that may be contaminated with extraneous materials. The problem was discovered after the firm received a customer complaint reporting they found metal in the RTE bacon topping product. 

Wow, that is a lot of product for one complaint.  Makes one wonder if the metal detector was not operating properly?  And if not, probably over a series of days?

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/smithfield-packaged-meats-corp-recalls-ready-eat-bacon-topping-products-due-possible
Smithfield Packaged Meats Corp. Recalls A Ready-To-Eat Bacon Topping Products Due to Possible Foreign Matter Contamination

WASHINGTON, May 20, 2022 – Smithfield Packaged Meats Corp., a Sioux Center, Iowa establishment, is recalling approximately 185,610 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) bacon topping products that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically metal, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

FSIS expects there to be additional products containing the bacon and urges consumers to check back frequently to view updated lists and labels.

• The RTE item was produced on various dates between Feb. 21, 2022 to Feb. 23, 2022 and March 3, 2022 to March 5, 2022. The following product is subject to recall [view labels]:
• 5-lb. packages containing “Golden Crisp PATRICK CUDAHY PRECOOKED BACON TOPPING” SKU 43200 12002 with lot codes 2054, 2062 and 2063.
• 5-lb. packages containing “Smithfield PRECOOKED BACON TOPPING” SKU 43200 12003 with lot codes 2063 and 2064.
• 5-lb. packages containing “Golden Crisp PATRICK CUDAHY FULLY COOKED BACON TOPPING APPLEWOOD SMOKED” SKU 43200 12296 with lot codes 2053 and 2062.
• 5-lb. packages containing “Smithfield FULLY COOKED BACON TOPPING” SKU 43200 12663 with lot code 2064.
• 5-lb. packages containing “MEMBER’S MARK FULLY COOKED BACON CRUMBLES” SKU 78742240923 with “BEST IF USED BY” date of “2022-11-18.”

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 27384” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to distributors and retail locations nationwide. Some of the bacon product may have been used to produce other products.

The problem was discovered after the firm received a customer complaint reporting they found metal in the RTE bacon topping product.

There have been no confirmed reports of injuries or adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.

FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators or found at distributor and retail locations. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. Additionally, distributors and retailers are urged not to sell these products. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.

Consumers with questions about the recall can contact Smithfield Consumer Affairs hotline at 1-844-342-2596. Members of the media with questions about the recall can contact Jim Monroe, Vice President of Corporate Affairs, Smithfield Packaged Meats Corp., at 757-365-3559 or jmonroe@smithfield.com.

Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or live chat Ask USDA from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Consumers can also browse food safety messages at Ask USDA or send a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.