Perdue Foods has issued a voluntary recall for approximately 167,000 pounds of frozen chicken breast nuggets and tenders due to possible contamination with metal wire. The recall comes after the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) raised concerns about the presence of a thin strand of metal wire in the products.

The affected products include Perdue's simply smart organic breaded chicken breast nuggets in 22-ounce packages, chicken breast tenders in 29-ounce packages with a best-used by date of March 23, 2025, and ButcherBox organic chicken breast nuggets in 22-ounce vacuum-sealed packages with the same best-used by date. These products can be identified by the establishment number P-33944 on the back of their packages.

Perdue's senior vice president of food safety and quality, Jeff Shaw, explained that the metal wire had inadvertently entered the manufacturing process. In order to prioritize consumer safety, the company chose to recall all the affected packages. Perdue urges customers who have purchased these products not to consume them and advises them to either discard them or return them to the place of purchase.

The issue was brought to light when consumers reported finding metal wire in the chicken products, prompting Perdue to alert the FSIS. As a precautionary measure, the FSIS is concerned that some of these contaminated products may still be present in consumers' freezers, emphasizing the importance of not consuming them.

This isn't the first time that Perdue Foods has faced recalls due to potential contamination. In 2017, the company recalled over 2,000 pounds of chicken sausage products that may have been tainted with extraneous materials. Additionally, in 2019, more than 31,000 pounds of refrigerated, fully cooked gluten-free breaded organic chicken tenders were recalled.

Meanwhile, the FSIS issued a public health alert in 2022 for Perdue's frozen ready-to-eat chicken breast tenders, which were labeled as "gluten-free" but may have contained small pieces of clear plastic and blue dye. Although a recall was not possible as the products had already left circulation, the alert aimed to raise awareness and ensure consumer safety.

The recall of Perdue's frozen chicken products comes amidst a series of recalls on various food items this month, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Cinnamon, Meijer chocolate chip cookies, CVS infant formula, Lunds and Byerly guacamole, and Marabou salt sea chocolate bars are among the products that have been subject to recalls.

Consumers who have purchased the recalled Perdue chicken products should take immediate action to prevent any potential health risks and follow the recommended disposal or return procedures. It is important to prioritize food safety and remain vigilant in ensuring the consumption of contamination-free products.