UPDATE: Hormel Foods has issued an urgent recall of nearly 5 million pounds of frozen chicken due to reports of metal contamination. The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service confirmed the recall, affecting approximately 215,258 cases of Hormel Fire Braised chicken distributed to food service locations nationwide between February 10, 2025, and September 19, 2025.
The recall was prompted by multiple complaints from food service customers who discovered pieces of metal in their chicken products. The USDA stated that the metal originated from a conveyor belt used in production, raising serious safety concerns. While specific sizes of the metal fragments were not disclosed, they are reported to measure around 2 millimeters by 17 millimeters (0.08 inches by 0.66 inches), posing a potential hazard to consumers.
Importantly, this chicken was not sold directly to retail consumers, alleviating immediate concerns for households. However, the USDA urges anyone in the food service sector, including hotels and restaurants, to check their freezers for the affected products. No injuries have been reported related to the consumption of this chicken.
In light of this urgent recall, Hormel recommends that anyone with the impacted chicken discard it immediately. Consumers can find a detailed list of the recalled product numbers on the Hormel website. For further inquiries, the company can be reached at 1-800-523-4635, or consumers can contact the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854).
This recall is part of a troubling trend, with numerous food recalls and health alerts surfacing recently, including seafood fears linked to radiation, listeria concerns in poke, and even a bizarre recall of Celsius energy drinks containing vodka.
Stay tuned for more updates as this story develops. Share this important information to keep others informed about the potential risks associated with this recall.
