The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service has announced a nationwide recall of about 1,584,361 pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry from Kayem Foods Inc. The products may have been stored at improper temperatures, and shoppers who bought them should check their refrigerators and freezers now.
How the Problem Was Found
The recall was announced on Saturday, Oct. 17, after the company received a complaint from a retail customer. That customer reported that the product was warm when it was delivered on Oct. 1. The company investigated and determined that it had stored various ready-to-eat products in a warehouse cooler that experienced temperature deviations. Ready-to-eat items are meant to be eaten without further cooking, so keeping them at safe temperatures during storage is the main protection against bacterial growth.
Which Products Are Included
The recall covers dozens of items sold under a range of brand names. Products listed include hot dogs, cocktail franks, kielbasa and bratwurst, along with deli meats such as ham, turkey, bologna, corned beef and liverwurst. It also includes flavored chicken sausage, meatballs, bacon, brisket and ham steaks. According to the Food Safety and Inspection Service, the affected items were shipped to retail and food service locations across the country and to Hong Kong. They were produced between approximately March 31, 2026, and Oct. 7, 2026.
To determine whether a package is included, check the product label for the product name and UPC code, which are listed in the official recall notice. Also look for one of the establishment numbers printed inside the USDA mark of inspection: "EST. M/P 7839," "EST. P 20935A" or "EST. M 9520."
What Shoppers Should Do
Anyone who bought a listed product should not eat it. Throw the item away or return it to the place of purchase. Because the recall covers many brands and a long production window, it is worth checking the back of the refrigerator, deli drawers and freezer for sausages, lunch meats and bacon that may have been bought in recent weeks.
So far, the agency has not confirmed any illnesses linked to these products. The recall notice does not change that, but anyone who feels unwell after eating a recalled product should contact a healthcare provider and mention the possible exposure.
The Limits of What Is Known
The available information describes a temperature problem in one company's warehouse cooler and a set of products shipped nationally and abroad. It does not state how long the items were held at unsafe temperatures, and it does not say whether any product tested positive for a specific contaminant. Those details would matter for judging individual risk, and they are not part of the current notice. Readers should rely on the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service for updates and the complete product list.