U.S. health officials said Thursday that more than 2.5 million pounds of canned meat and poultry were being recalled, reported WFAA.
The officials said that the recall of Conagra products was because of a defect in the packaging, which can cause the contents to become contaminated even though there is no obvious sign of it.
Most of the impacted products are part of the Armour brand, including Vienna Sausage and Chicken Vienna Sausage. Still, other brands were also affected, including GOYA, Kroger, and Walmart’s Great Value. Some 2,581,816 pounds of meat products were recalled.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service classified it as a “high or medium risk” recall, meaning that there was “a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.”
The defective products were produced in the space of a month, between December 12 and January 12, with the establishment number labeled on the cans as “P4247.”
The problem came to light when workers for Conagra noticed leaking and spilled cans at its warehouse. The company then contacted the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Recalled items may be indiscernible from ones that were not contaminated, said officials.
The recalled products have the potential to allow foodborne pathogens to enter the cans.
The federal government has yet to report consumer illnesses, but officials are concerned that due to the long period of time since the contaminated products were produced, there is a possibility that the products are currently on supermarket shelves as they were shipped on a national scale.
Products will be refunded or exchanged when returned to the store. Otherwise, they ought to be thrown away.
The Dallas Express reached out to the USDA and Conagra for comment but didn’t hear back by press time.
A complete list of recalled products can be found here.
