Tyson expands chicken strip recall to 12 million pounds of frozen meat over metal contamination fears

  • Reports of metal found in Tyson frozen chicken fingers were first made in March
  • The company recalled almost 70,000 pounds of chicken fingers then, but has now expanded the recall to include 12 million pounds of meat 
  • Six reports of metal in the products have been made, and three people claim to have been injured  

Nearly 12 million pounds of Tyson frozen chicken fingers have been recalled over fears that they are contaminated with metal shards. 

The recall expansion comes after the company's initial March recall of 69,000 pounds of chicken. 

So far, three reports of 'injuries' from the frozen food have been reported to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). 

Tyson's recall includes all packages of chicken strips marked with use by dates from October 1, 2019 and March 7, 2020 sold throughout the country.  

Tyson has recalled 12 million pounds of its frozen ready-to-eat chicken strips after six reports of metal contamination in the products were made and three people claimed to sustain injuries

Tyson has recalled 12 million pounds of its frozen ready-to-eat chicken strips after six reports of metal contamination in the products were made and three people claimed to sustain injuries

The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) started getting reports of injuries from the chicken strips in March when two people said they'd found metal in their food. 

Even after the initial recall, reports continued. 

Now, six people have called in to FSIS to report metal contamination in their Tyson frozen chicken fingers, prompting the recall expansion. 

'FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ freezers, the agency said in a Saturday statement. 

'Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.' 

Metal may sound like an improbable food contaminant, but sharp pieces and shards find their way into edible products with frightening frequency. 

The Tyson recall is one of three issued for 'foreign matter contamination' in the last two months alone. 

For its part, Tyson said in a statement that it believes it has identified the machinery responsible for the dangerous problem. 

The company said that it will also be installing upgraded metal detection systems as well. 

'Safety is at the core of everything we do,' said Tyson's vice president of regulatory food policy, food and agriculture Barbara Masters. 

'It is unacceptable to Tyson Foods that any product might not meet our standards. 

'Because of these additional consumer reports, we’ve decided to take this precautionary step to make sure that we’re meeting our own expectations and the expectation of consumers.' 

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