Savory snack enjoyers should perhaps consider opting for something a little sweeter today as a recall notice has been issued by the USDA for a popular beef and turkey snack sold at Costco Warehouses in multiple states due to a potential contamination. Customers are being advised to double check the packaging of this product.
Original Beef Sticks sold at Costco recalled due to potential contamination
Close to thirty thousand pounds of a ready to eat beef and turkey snack has been issued with a voluntary recall by its Shelley, Idaho based manufacturer, Idaho Smokehouse Partners LLC. after a potential contamination had been discovered. It appears that a foreign material, metal to be specific, has possibly found its way in to the product and as such, consumption of the item could result in possible adverse health effects or injury, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service recently reported.
The recalled item had been sold at Costco warehouses in twenty-two states under the Chomps brand. The impacted items are the Chomps Original Beef Sticks and Chomps Original Turkey Sticks. According to the USDA, the recalled snack sticks were produced between January 13 and January 15. It is estimated that around 411,000 individual snack sticks have been impacted by this recall as the USDA notice states that 29,541 pounds of the product are being recalled with each stick weighing in at about 1.15 ounces.
This potential metal contamination had been discovered as a result of two customers calling in complaints after finding metal pieces in the beef sticks. The Idaho Smokehouse Partners then forwarded the issue to USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to alert them of it. The FSIS has also shared concerns that consumers may have the contaminated beef or turkey sticks stocked in their pantries and as such, customers who had purchased the snack sticks are being urged to either discard the item or return it to the store.
Fortunately, there have been no reports of injury as a result of consuming the recalled beef and turkey sticks to date. However, if any individual has any injury concerns, a healthcare provider should be consulted as soon as possible.
Once the contamination was discovered, Chomp’s sent out letters to Costco shoppers notifying them that the beef sticks are being recalled. The letter also mentioned that they should not consume the product and instead, it should be returned to their nearest Costco location in exchange for a full refund. The letter made no mention of the turkey sticks even though it has also been recalled.
How to identify the product
The recalled beef and turkey sticks can be identified by its lot details or EST codes which can be found under the UPC on the packaging. Impacted items have the following details:
- 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
Additionally, as per the USDA report, “the beef product may be packaged into larger plastic bags that bear the establishment number V2059.”
The product was initially shipped to distribution centers in California, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, and Washington to be distributed in the following 22 states:
- Alaska
- California
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska,
- Nevada,
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oregon
- South Dakota
- Utah
- Washington
- Wisconsin
According to the USDA release, consumers with questions about the recall can visit Chomps’ website at www.chomps.com/recall or call Idaho Smokehouse Partners at 208-227-5282.