Several Thousand Pounds of Jimmy Dean Sausage Links Recalled After Customers Find Metal in It

Jimmy Dean has recalled thousands of pounds of sausages after some customers found pieces of metal lodged in their food.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture published an official news release on Monday ordering that nearly 30,000 pounds of frozen sausage links from Jimmy Dean be removed from shelves. Customers who have purchased the meat are advised to check it carefully as well, as there could be dangerous shrapnel hidden within.

The recall applies to Jimmy Dean’s 23.4-ounce pouches of Heat ‘n Serve Original Sausage Links, Made with Pork and Turkey. The contaminated products have a use-by date of Jan. 31, a case code of A6382168 and an establishment number of M19085 or P19085.

The news release noted that CTI Foods LLC “is recalling approximately 29,028 pounds of frozen, ready-to-eat (RTE) pork and poultry sausage links products that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically pieces of metal.”

So far, five customers have reported finding the metal. It is believed to apply to a small batch of meat, which was packaged on Aug. 4 and distributed in Tennessee. Still, all customers across the country should take caution in light of the recall.

Jimmy Dean issued a statement on Monday as well. It noted that the recall is “voluntary.”

“A few consumers contacted the company to say they had found small, string-like fragments of metal in the product. Though the fragments have been found in a very limited number of packages,” the statement read. “Jimmy Dean is closely monitoring this recall and working with CTI to assure proper coordination with the USDA. No injuries have been reported with this recall.”

The company believes that 2,845 cases of the product were affected. The statement provided marks to look out for, including UPC codes that read “0-77900-36519-5,” and specific lot numbers.

Customers who find that they have a contaminated package can call Jimmy Dean. The statement urges them to save the UPC code and discard the product, presumably meaning that there will be a refund.

This is the third major food recall in recent memory, so consumers are likely already on the watch. A nation-wide Romaine lettuce recall went out last month, warning customers about a possible E. Coli infection outbreak.

After that, another widespread recall went out for beef. According to a report by CNBC, the meet has caused 246 cases of salmonella in 26 states. Over 12 million pounds of beef have now been recalled, and officials urge consumers to throw out the beef in their freezers just to be safe.