The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has announced two separate large-scale food recalls due to the same reason: possible contamination with metal fragments.
The first recall was for BBQ pork jerky and the second was for ready-to-eat frozen chicken products. Both notices were posted over the weekend.
In total, a combined 7.1 million pounds of the products—which were distributed nationwide in both cases—are included in the recalls. Here’s what you need to know.
2.3 million pounds of BBQ pork jerky recalled
According to a notice posted by FSIS on Friday, October 24, a company called LSI, Inc. of Alpena, South Dakota, is recalling approximately 2.3 million pounds of a ready-to-eat Korean barbecue pork jerky product.
The product had the possibility of being contaminated with pieces of metal, according to the notice. The “wiry metal” fragments, according to the FSIS, were first detected by customers, who contacted the manufacturer.
LSI then found “that the metal originated from the conveyor belt used in production,” according to the FSIS notice.
The impacted product was sold under the brand name Golden Island.
Of particular concern is that the impacted pork jerky product has a very long shelf life of one year, which means individuals could have the products stored in their pantries now and for a long time to come. Here are the details of the recalled pork jerky product:
- Product: 14.5-oz. and 16-oz. plastic pouches containing “GOLDEN ISLAND fire-grilled PORK JERKY Korean BARBECUE recipe.”
- “Best by” dates: range from October 23, 2025, through September 23, 2026.
- Lot numbers: various (see list linked below)
- Establishment number: M279A
The FSIS has published the product labels and the full product list on its website.
The items were sold at Costco and Sam’s Club locations nationwide. Consumers are being urged to check their pantries and to dispose of the recalled products or return them for a refund.
4.9 million pounds of frozen chicken recalled
On Saturday, October 25, FSIS posted another recall notice regarding additional products that may have metal contamination.
This time, approximately 4.9 million pounds of ready-to-eat frozen chicken items from Hormel Foods Corporation were effected.
The products were distributed nationwide to HRI Commercial Food Service locations, which provide food to hotels, restaurants, and other institutions.
The FSIS notice says that these distributions occurred on various dates ranging from February 10, 2025, through September 19, 2025. However, though those dates have passed, as the product involves frozen chicken, it could still be in the freezers of hotels, restaurants, and other institutions.
As with the previous recall above, this recall was also initiated after multiple complaints from food-service customers who reported finding metal in their frozen chicken products.
As with the pork jerky recall, “Hormel Foods determined that the metal originated from the conveyor belt used in production,” the FSIS notice states.
The recall notice says that the following products are among those included in the recall:
- 13.9-lb. cases containing “Hormel FIRE BRAISED MEATS ALL NATURAL BONELESS CHICKEN THIGH MEAT,” with item code “65009” printed on the label.
- 13.8-lb. cases containing 3-oz.“Hormel FIRE BRAISED MEATS ALL NATURAL BONELESS CHICKEN BREAST,” with item code “77531” printed on the label.
- 13.8-lb. cases containing 4-oz.“Hormel FIRE BRAISED MEATS ALL NATURAL BONELESS CHICKEN BREAST,” with item code “46750” printed on the label.
- 23.8-lb. cases containing 5-oz.“Hormel FIRE BRAISED MEATS ALL NATURAL BONELESS CHICKEN BREAST,” with item code “86206” printed on the label.
- 13.95-lb. cases containing “BONELESS CHICKEN BREAST WITH RIB MEAT,” with item code “134394” printed on the label.
The labels of the recalled products and a detailed list of the recalled products with packaging dates can be found on the FSIS website. The recalled products have the establishment number P-223 printed on them.
Businesses that have the recalled products in their possession should not serve them; instead, they should throw them away.
“This product is only sold to foodservice customers and cannot be purchased directly by consumers,” Hormel said in a statement. “All customers that may have received the affected product have been properly notified.”
Conveyor belt to blame in both recalls
Of note regarding the two individual recalls, both notices reported that “the metal originated from the conveyor belt used in production.”
However, it is not known whether the products involved in the two recalls were produced in the same manufacturing facility.
A spokesperson for Hormel Foods Sales sent Fast Company a statement that repeated details included in the recall notice but did not identify the facility.
Fast Company has also reached out to Golden Island and the FSIS for additional details. We’ll update this post if we hear back.
