In a concerning development for consumers across the nation, Perdue Foods has announced a voluntary recall of more than 167,000 pounds of frozen chicken nuggets and tenders after several reports of customers finding metal wire embedded in the products.
This recall comes after the U.S. Agriculture Department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and Perdue concluded that some batches of chicken may be contaminated with a foreign material.
The recall, which spans multiple popular Perdue products, specifically affects Perdue Breaded Chicken Tenders, Butcher Box Organic Chicken Breast Nuggets, and Perdue Simply Smart Organics Breaded Chicken Breast Nuggets.
The FSIS and Perdue identified that 167,171 pounds of these products, sold at retailers nationwide, could be compromised, following an unspecified number of consumer complaints.
In a statement released on Friday, Maryland-based Perdue Foods disclosed that the contamination was discovered in a limited number of consumer packages. Jeff Shaw, Perdue’s Senior Vice President of Food Safety and Quality, elaborated, “We identified the material as a very thin strand of metal wire, which was inadvertently introduced into the manufacturing process.” While the contamination seems limited, Perdue has opted for a full recall of affected products “out of an abundance of caution.”
The affected chicken tenders and nuggets can be identified by specific product codes listed on Perdue and FSIS’s official recall notices. Each of the products in question bears the establishment number “P-33944” and a best-if-used-by date of March 23, 2025.
Perdue is urging consumers who have purchased these products to either discard them or return them to the store for a full refund. For further assistance, customers can contact Perdue directly at 866-866-3703.
Foreign object contamination has become one of the leading causes of food recalls in the U.S., and metal-related recalls, unfortunately, are not uncommon. Just last November, Tyson Foods had to pull 30,000 pounds of dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets off shelves after metal fragments were found in the product.
While Perdue has taken swift action to address the issue, this latest recall serves as a sobering reminder of the complexities and risks that come with mass food production.
For now, consumers are encouraged to stay vigilant, check their freezers, and continue to ensure their food is safe for consumption.
