Nestlé Recalls Hot Pockets; Philly Steak & Cheese May Contain Diseased Animals
The food company has voluntarily recalled the Philly Steak and Cheese variant of the Hot Pockets brand after the USDA recalls meat products from a California firm.
The United States Department of Agriculture has issued a Class I recall with a "high" health risk for consumers for meat produced by California establishment, Rancho Feeding Corporation. A Class I recall is defined as "a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death," says the USDA.
According to the USDA, Rancho Feeding Corporation "processed diseased and unsound animals and carried out these activities without the benefit or full benefit of federal inspection," making 8,742,700 pounds of meat "unsound, unwholesome or otherwise are unfit for human food and must be removed from commerce."
The Rancho Feeding Corporation recall includes beef products such as beef carcasses, heads, blood, oxtail, cheeks, lips, omasum, tripas, liver, tripe, tongue, feet, heart, and some veal products, says the USDA.
Nestlé USA says that their company did not directly purchase meat from Rancho Feeding Corporation but has confirmed that their supply chain has purchased meat from the said California firm. "We have confirmed that a small quantity of meat from Rancho was used at Nestlé's Chatsworth, California production operation, a facility devoted entirely to HOT POCKETS® brand sandwiches," says Nestlé.
The affected batches of Hot Pockets include the Philly Steak and Cheese variant in three sizes and the Croissant Crust Philly Steak and Cheese variant, Nestlé announces.
Nestlé has already pulled out the aforementioned Hot Pockets varieties off shelves and also advises consumers who have already purchased the product.
"Consumers who may have purchased the affected batches of HOT POCKETS® brand Philly Steak and Cheese should not consume the product, but instead should return it to the place of purchase for a full refund or contact Nestlé Consumer Services at (800) 392-4057," Nestlé posts.
The company also clarifies that no other Hot Pockets variant is affected by USDA's Class I recall for Rancho Feeding Corporation meat products and notes that "no illnesses have been reported in relation to the Rancho Feeding recall."