Polish sausage recall starts due to potential contamination with metal pieces

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is advising a recall of ready-to-eat sausage products for a potential contamination with metal pieces, per official notice put out on Monday.

The brand of sausage is North Country Smokehouse, whose facility is based in Claremont, N.H., and the recall affects 2,686 pounds of product.

The time they were produced was on February 7 and February 8 of this year and have the following establishment number “EST. 5390A” inside the USDA mark of inspection.

Products on recall:

• 1-lb. vacuum-packed packages containing “NORTH COUNTRY SMOKEHOUSE ORIGINAL OLD FASHIONED POLISH STYLE KIELBASA” with “USE BY 05/09/19.”
• 12-oz. vacuum-packed packages containing “NORTH COUNTRY SMOKEHOUSE *NATURAL OLD FASHIONED POLISH STYLE KIELBASA” with “USE BY 04/23/19.”
• 1-lb. vacuum-packed packages containing “KILCHURN ESTATE® SMOKED KIELBASA” with “USE BY 05/09/19.”

The issue contamination came to light on March 18, when the FSIS was conducting a routine examination and discovered foreign matter.

Luckily, no reports of injury have emerged yet, but the FSIS is still concerned that consumers may have the meat in their refrigerator or freezer.

If you think you have contaminated meat, you are urged to throw it away or return it to where it was purchased.

If you have more questions about the recall, please call Daniel Sarapin, quality assurance manager, North Country Smokehouse, at (603) 543-0234 ext. 207

To contact the FSIS, call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or visithttp://askkaren.gov/ and go to the Live Chat option.

To report an injury, please call the FSIS (number listed above) and get in touch with your healthcare provider.

The pieces of information you'll want to provide for a complaint are the following:

1. Name, address and phone number
2. Brand name, product name and manufacturer of the product
3. The size and package type
4. Can or package codes (not UPC bar codes) and dates
5. Establishment number (EST) usually found in the circle or shield near the "USDA passed and inspected" phrase;
6. Name and location of the store, as well as the date that you purchased the product.
7. You can complain to the store or the product's manufacturer if you don't choose to make a formal complaint to the USDA.

Reports may also be made online at the FSIS "Electronic Consumer Complaint Form" page.

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