Maryland-based company Perdue Foods has issued a recall for more than 167,000 pounds of frozen chicken nuggets and tenders following reports from customers about discovering metal wire embedded in the products. The recall, in collaboration with the U.S. Agriculture Department's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), affects select lots of three products: Perdue Breaded Chicken Tenders, Butcher Box Organic Chicken Breast Nuggets, and Perdue Simply Smart Organics Breaded Chicken Breast Nuggets.

After receiving an undisclosed number of customer complaints, FSIS and Perdue recognized that approximately 167,171 pounds (75,827 kilograms) of these products may contain a foreign material. In a statement, Perdue stated that the material was identified to be a thin strand of metal wire that had unintentionally entered the manufacturing process. Jeff Shaw, Perdue's senior vice president of food safety and quality, emphasized that the company chose to recall all impacted packages as a precautionary measure.

So far, there have been no confirmed injuries or adverse reactions associated with consuming these products, as confirmed by FSIS and Perdue. However, FSIS is concerned that these products could still be present in consumers' freezers. To identify the now-recalled chicken tenders and nugget products, the codes listed on Perdue's and FSIS's online notices should be checked. All three affected products bear a best if used by date of March 23, 2025, and display the establishment number "P-33944" on the back of the package.

These recalled products were distributed and sold at various retailers nationwide. Perdue advises consumers who have purchased the affected chicken to either discard it or return it to the place of purchase. The company is also offering full refunds to impacted consumers and can be contacted at 866-866-3703.

The contamination of foreign objects is one of the leading causes of food recalls in the United States. Just last November, Tyson Foods had to recall nearly 30,000 pounds (13,600 kilograms) of chicken nuggets after consumers discovered metal pieces in the dinosaur-shaped products. Apart from metal, other extraneous materials such as plastic fragments, rocks, and bits of insects have prompted recalls in the packaged goods industry.

Consumers are advised to check their freezers for any of the recalled chicken products and take appropriate action to ensure their safety.