Meat recall involves Junction City company

Armour Eckrich Meats, LLC, a Junction City establishment, is recalling approximately 90,978 pounds of ready-to-eat sausage products that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically pieces of metal, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced late Wednesday.

The food service fully-cooked pork, turkey and beef breakfast sausage items were produced and packaged from April 26 through April 28, 2017. The following products are subject to recall:

• 8,769 cases of 16.6 oz. vacuumed packages containing “ECKRICH SMOK-Y CHEDDAR BREAKFAST SAUSAGE, NATURALLY HARDWOOD SMOKED” on the label, case code/ UPC number “27815 17984,” and a Use By date of “08/17/17.”

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 3JC” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to distribution centers in Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas.

The problem was discovered on May 15, 2017 when Armour Eckrich Meats, Inc. was notified by another FSIS-regulated establishment that pieces of metal were embedded in a fully cooked sausage product produced by Armour Eckrich Meats, Inc.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.

Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify theircustomers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers.

Consumers with questions about the recall can call 1 (877) 933-4625. Media with questions about the recall can contact Kassi Belz, vice president of public relations for the Dalton Agency, at (904) 398-5222.

Consumers with food safety questions can “Ask Karen,” the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov or via smartphone at m.askkaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day. The online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/reportproblem.