Pilgrim's Pride recall extended again; now covers 5.5 million pounds of chicken
A massive recall of Pilgrim's Pride chicken products has been extended for a third time due to possible contamination, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Friday.
The latest extension adds an additional 376,000 pounds of fully cooked chicken products to the growing list of recalled products. The Waco, Texas-based Pilgrim's Pride Corp. first issued a recall due to “possible foreign matter contamination” in April.
Over 5 million pounds of chicken have been recalled by the company since April.
The extension announced Friday includes:
- 25-lb boxes of "Pierce Chicken/Wing Zings Fully Cooked Hot and Spicy Breaded Chicken Wings 1st and 2nd Sections" containing three 8.33-lb clear bags. The chicken has a use by/sell by date of Sept. 15, 2016, and a packaging date of Sept. 15, 2015.
- 15-lb boxes of "Pierce Chicken/Wing Zings Fully Cooked Hot and Spicy Breaded Chicken Wings" containing two 7.5-lb clear bags. The chicken has a use by/sell by date of July 11, 2016, and a packaging date of July 11, 2015.
- 15-lb boxes of "Pierce Chicken/ Wing Zings Fully Cooked Hot And Spicy Breaded Chicken Wings" containing two 7.5-lb clear bags. The chicken has a use by/sell by date of Sept. 16, 2016, and a packaging date of Sept. 16, 2015.
- 10-lb boxes of "Sweet Georgia Brand Fully Cooked Hot and Spicy Breaded Chicken Wings" containing two 5-lb clear bags. The chicken has a use by/sell by date of July 11, 2016, and a packaging date of July 11, 2015.
- 10-lb boxes of "Sweet Georgia Brand Fully Cooked Hot and Spicy Breaded Chicken Wings 1st and 2nd Sections" containing two 5-lb clear bags. The chicken has a use by/sell by date of Sept. 15, 2016, and a packaging date of Sept. 15, 2015.
- 25-lb boxes of "Pierce Chicken/Wing Zings Fully Cooked Hot and Spicy Chicken Wings 1st and 2nd Sections" containing three 8.33-lb clear bags. The chicken has a use by/sell by date of Sept. 15, 2016, and a packaging date of Sept. 15, 2015.
According to the USDA, the affected products may have been contaminated with unidentified “extraneous materials.” Officials warn there is a “reasonable probability” that eating any of the recalled products will cause “serious, adverse health consequences or death.”
The latest extension brings the total amount of recalled Pilgrim's Pride products to 5.5 million pounds of chicken.
The original recall, issued on April 7, encompassed 40,780 pounds of chicken. It has since been extended two other times to include 4.5 million pounds of product on April 26 and to include an additional 608,700 pounds of product on May 5.
More information on the specifics of the recall can be found on the USDA recall notice.
