More than 90 tons of a popular bacon product sold at stores including Sam’s Club have been recalled in a widespread nationwide alert for a concerning reason. Smithfield Packaged Meats Corp. recalled approximately 185,610 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) bacon topping products due to possible metal contamination. Consumers were informed of the recall on May 20 via a notice shared by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
Items affected by the recall were sold in five-pound packages. The specific items include “Golden Crisp PATRICK CUDAHY PRECOOKED BACON TOPPING” SKU 43200 12002 with lot codes 2054, 2062 and 2063; “Smithfield PRECOOKED BACON TOPPING” SKU 43200 12003 with lot codes 2063 and 2064; “Golden Crisp PATRICK CUDAHY FULLY COOKED BACON TOPPING APPLEWOOD SMOKED” SKU 43200 12296 with lot codes 2053 and 2062; “Smithfield FULLY COOKED BACON TOPPING” SKU 43200 12663 with lot code 2064; and “MEMBER’S MARK FULLY COOKED BACON CRUMBLES” SKU 78742240923 with “BEST IF USED BY” date of “2022-11-18.” The RTE bacon products were produced on various dates between Feb. 21 to Feb. 23 and March 3 to March 5 and bear the establishment number “EST. 27384” inside the USDA mark of inspection. The products were shipped to distributors and retail locations nationwide, including Sam’s Club. A full list of Sam’s Club locations that sold the products can be found here.
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“Walmart and Sam’s Club are committed to the health and safety of our customers and members and to providing products that are safe and compliant, all supported by our health and wellness, product safety, and food safety professionals,” Walmart and Sam’s Club note on their website. “In the event of a product recall, we work swiftly to block the item from being sold and remove it from our stores and clubs.”
The recall was issued after the Sioux Center, Iowa company received a customer complaint. That complaint reported that the consumer found metal in the RTE bacon topping product, meaning the products pose a possible health hazard to consumers. There have been no confirmed reports of injuries or adverse reactions due to consumption of these products to date.
Although no injuries have been reported, there is concern regarding the products. The FSIS noted that “some of the bacon product may have been used to produce other products,” adding that there is also concern the recalled RTE bacon products may be in consumers’ refrigerators or found at distributor and retail locations. Consumers who purchased the recalled products are advised not to consume them. Distributors and retailers should not sell the products. The recalled RTE bacon products should instead be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. Consumers with questions can contact Smithfield Consumer Affairs hotline at 1-844-342-2596.
