Agency classClass IOur severity:Severe USDA FSIS·034-2025·Announced 2025-10-25

Hormel Foods recalls frozen ready-to-eat chicken for metal contamination

Hormel Foods is recalling about 4.8 million pounds of frozen ready-to-eat chicken products that may contain metal pieces.

The agency’s classification

USDA FSIS: Class I

Class I is a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.

This is the agency’s own classification, taken from its notice. The severity score below is our assessment, not the agency’s. How recall classes work

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 4/5 (Severe).

The hazard poses a serious risk of illness, injury, or structural failure. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The recall is classified as USDA Class I, which under the rubric requires a score of at least 4. No injuries have been reported, so the score is 4.

Plain-English summary

Hormel Foods Corporation is recalling approximately 4,874,815 pounds of foodservice ready-to-eat frozen chicken products. The affected items are chicken breast and thigh products distributed to HRI Commercial Food Service locations nationwide between February 10, 2025 and September 19, 2025. The products include various case sizes of Hormel Fire Braised Meats boneless chicken thigh and breast items, as well as boneless chicken breast with rib meat, all bearing establishment number P-223.

The contamination was discovered after the company received multiple complaints from foodservice customers finding metal in the frozen chicken. Hormel Foods determined that the metal originated from the conveyor belt used in production. There have been no confirmed reports of injury from consuming the product.

FSIS is concerned that some products may be in the freezers of hotels, restaurants, and institutions, and urges businesses not to serve them. The product should be thrown away. Consumers with questions can contact Hormel Foods Customer Relations at 1-800-523-4635 or via their website, and media inquiries should go to [email protected]. For food safety questions, call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854.

The recalled product

Product: Hormel Foods Corporation Recalls Ready-To-Eat Frozen Chicken Products Due to Possible Foreign Matter Contamination
Brand: Hormel Foods Corporation
Manufacturer: Hormel Foods Corporation
Category: Food — Frozen ready-to-eat chicken
Hazard: foreign-matter
metal

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

Same brand · Hormel Foods Corporation

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