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A Minnesota-based company has recalled nearly five million pounds of chicken products due to potential metal contamination, according to the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). Hormel Foods Corporation issued a voluntary recall for the affected chicken breast and thigh products distributed nationwide on October 25. Why It Matters Foreign material in food products poses health risks, including choking, tooth damage, and injury to the digestive tract. Small pieces of metal can obstruct airways, especially in vulnerable populations such as children and older adults. Dr. Mark Fischer, regional medical director at International SOS, previously told Newsweek: “It can be dangerous to consume metals or other foreign objects found in food…[They] can cause cuts or internal injury and may need to be removed via a surgical procedure. If you swallow any foreign objects, it’s best to consult a healthcare professional.” What To Know The products affected by the recall are the following: Fire Braised Meats All Natural Boneless Chicken Thigh Meat 13.9lb – item code: 65009 Fire Braised Meats All Natural Boneless Chicken Breast 13.8lb – item code: 77531 Fire Braised Meats All Natural Boneless Chicken Breast 13.8lb – item code: 46750 Fire Braised Meats All Natural Boneless Chicken Breast 23.8lb – item code: 86206 Boneless Chicken Breast With Rib Meat 23.8lb – item code: 134394 The units were distributed to HRI Commercial Food Service locations nationwide between February 10 and September 19, 2025, and bear the establishment number P-223. The issue was discovered after the company received numerous customer complaints about metal in the frozen products, the FSIS said. The company determined that the metal originated from a conveyor belt used in the production of the products. As of October 25, no illnesses or injuries had been reported by the FSIS in connection with the consumption of the recalled products. File photo of a supermarket worker restocking shelves with raw chicken. (Lynne Sladky/AP) What People Are Saying Hormel Foods Corporation told Newsweek: “Hormel Foods Sales, LLC is voluntarily recalling 215,258 cases, or 4,874,815 total pounds, of five HORMEL® FIRE BRAISEDTM items sent to foodservice operators throughout the United States as they may contain extraneous metal material. No other HORMEL® products are affected, and no illnesses or injuries have been reported in association with this recall. “This product is only sold to foodservice customers and cannot be purchased directly by consumers. All customers that may have received the affected product have been properly notified.” The FSIS said in its recall announcement: “FSIS is concerned that some products may be in the freezers of hotels, restaurants and institutions.” It added: “FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers.” A September 2023 study by the National Institutes of Health says: “Physical foreign material (FM) contamination is a persistent problem that affects all types of food processing industries. Foreign material is defined as non-food, foreign bodies that may cause illness or injury to the consumer, and materials that are not typically part of the food product.” What Happens Next The recall is listed as active by FSIS. Businesses and institutions that still have the affected products have been urged not to serve them and to dispose of them.
