Think twice before reaching for that salty snack as you push through the work day. A recall has been issued by the USDA for almost 30,000 pounds of a popular snack sold at Costco warehouses in several states and consumers are being urged to keep an eye out for it.
Costco snack recalled due to potential contamination
Idaho Smokehouse Partners, LLC — based in Shelley, Idaho — has issued a voluntary recall for its ready to eat beef and turkey stick product after a foreign material was discovered to have contaminated several batched of the product. According to the announcement made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, the recall is impacting 29,541 pounds of the beef snack as a result of a potential metal contamination.
The approximate weight of each stick is 1.115 ounces meaning that around 411,000 individual products are being recalled. The contaminated turkey and beef snacking sticks were sold under the Chomps brand in Costco warehouses in Ohio and 21 additional states.
The manufacturers were made aware of this issue after two consumers submitted complaints after finding pieces of metal in the product and as a result the food safety service of the USDA had been contacted.
According to the USDA, there have been no confirmed reports of injury or health risks related to consuming this product. However, if any individual is concerned or showing any symptoms as a result of consuming the Chomps beef or turkey sticks, a healthcare provider should be contacted immediately.
Chomps also shared a letter to all Costco customers notifying them of the possible contamination and resulting recall of the snacking sticks. The letter further stated that the recalled item had been sold in Kentucky and Ohio, as well as twenty other states as listed below:
- Alaska
- California
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska,
- Nevada,
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oregon
- South Dakota
- Utah
- Washington
- Wisconsin
How to identify the recalled snack sticks
Consumers in possession of any Chomps beef or turkey snack sticks can check the EST or lot details on the packaging to identify if it is a part of the recall. These details can be found below the UPC on the stick. If you have purchased a pouch of the snack, check the lot number on the individual stick inside, rather than the pouch.
Identifying details of the recalled lots are as follows:
- Original Beef 12-count pouch
- Weight: 1.15 oz.
- EST Code (stick): 6220A
- Lot Code (stick): 25016, 25017, 25018, 25020, 25021
- UPC pouch: 856584004763
- UPC stick: 856584004183
- Original Beef 8-count pouch
- Weight: 1.15 oz.
- EST Code (stick): 6220A
- Lot Code (stick): 25017, 25020, 25021
- UPC pouch: 850015892523
- UPC stick: 856584004183
- Original Beef stick
- Weight: 1.15 oz.
- EST Code (stick): 6220A
- Lot Code (stick): 25022
- UPC stick: 856584004183
- Original Turkey stick
- Weight: 1.15 oz.
- EST Code (stick): P6220A
- Lot Code (stick): 25022, 25023
- UPC stick: 856584004404
If an individual finds themselves in possession of the recalled products, they should return it to the store and a full refund will be processed to them.
Any additional queries or comments related to this recall can be forwarded to Chomps’ website or Idaho Smokehouse Partners at 208-227-5282.
Metal contaminations on the rise?
As much as it is a cause for concern, metal pieces finding its way into products when they are mass produced in factories is not all that surprising since these products are manufactured by machines. However, it does raise the question of what is being done to aid this as it is not the first issue of its kind.
This month alone, another recall had been issued for oyster crackers sold at major retailers due to a contamination of stainless steel wire. One does begin to wonder if quality control and machine maintenance standards have become too lax. Whatever the case may be, it is perhaps in the best interest of the consumer to peruse the recall page of the store they are visiting before they make the trip so as to avoid any potential harm.