Don’t Eat This ‘Ready-to-Eat’ Chicken, USDA Says
Because of their convenience, pre-cooked chicken breasts have become a lunch (and dinner) staple, allowing people to add some lean protein to their meals without the hassle of cooking meat. And of all meats, especially chicken breasts, must be carefully monitored to make sure they reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit , as mandated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), but not cooked so long that they dry out.
So when Wayne Farms, a Decatur, Alabama-based poultry manufacturer, discovered that some of their ready-to-eat chicken breasts may not have been fully cooked, the company recalled 585,030 pounds of its products, according to a food safety report. USDA products . reports of the Inspection Service (FSIS) . Here’s what you need to know.
Why is the chicken being recalled?
On April 29, Wayne Farms recalled 30,285 pounds of its ready-to-eat chicken breasts after a customer complained that their chicken was undercooked. On May 7, the recall was extended to include almost 293 tons of pre-cooked chicken. So far, there have been no confirmed reports of people getting sick after eating these chicken breasts.
The recalled chicken breasts were shipped to distributors and restaurants nationwide, as well as stores in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.
How to identify recalled chicken breasts
If you purchased Wayne Farms ready-to-eat chicken breasts in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, check the label to see if this is part of a recall.
A recalled chicken will have :
- One of the following production codes: 23618, 24357, 24512, 24583, and 24957.
- One of 66 “use by” dates from May 10, 2022 to April 29, 2023
- “EST 20214” (installation number) on case and packaging
- Production dates from February 9 to April 30, 2022
Among the recalled products :
- 9 lb boxes containing 8 packs of 6 oz “ALL NATURAL FIRE GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST” with “best before” dates ranging from 05/10/22 to 4/29/23.
- 9 lb boxes containing 12 x 4 oz packs of “ ALL NATURAL FIRE GRILL CHICEN BREAST” with “best before” dates ranging from 05/10/22 to 4/29/23.
- 6 lb boxes containing 24 individual 4 oz packs of “ ALL NATURAL FIRE GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST FILLET” with a “use by” date of 3/5/23.
- 16 oz plastic bags with zip closure, labeled CHEF’S CRAFT CHICKEN BREAST FILLET and business number P-20214 printed next to the best before date of March 23, 2023.
What to do if you bought a recalled chicken
The USDA is urging people not to eat the recalled pre-cooked chicken breasts, and is instead recommending that they be returned to the store where they were purchased or discarded.
Contact Frank Singleton, Wayne Farms representative at 678-316-4237 or email fes01@att.net with questions about the recall. If you have food safety questions—either about the recall or in general—you can email MPHotline@usda.gov , call the USDA Meat and Poultry Toll Free Hotline (888-674-6854), or Chat via Ask the USDA at 10 am to 6 pm (ET) Monday through Friday.