Hormel recalls nearly 5M pounds of chicken over possible metal contamination

Hormel Foods is recalling nearly 5 million pounds of foodservice ready-to-eat frozen chicken products that may be “contaminated with pieces of metal,” according to a Saturday announcement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

The Austin, Minnesota–based company traced the contamination to metal fragments from a conveyor belt used during production, the agency said. The pieces varied in size, measuring roughly 2mm by 17mm, FSIS told FOX Business. 

The issue was discovered after Hormel received multiple complaints from foodservice customers — including hotels, restaurants and other organizations that serve food to people — who reported finding metal in their frozen chicken breast and thigh products, according to the agency.

The affected items, sold under the HORMEL® FIRE BRAISED™ label, were distributed nationwide between Feb. 10 and Sept. 19, 2025. 

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“Hormel Foods Sales, LLC is voluntarily recalling 215,258 cases, or 4,874,815 total pounds, of five HORMEL® FIRE BRAISEDTM items sent to foodservice operators throughout the United States as they may contain extraneous metal material,” Hormel told FOX Business on Sunday. 

The recall includes bulk cases of boneless chicken breast and thigh meat weighing 13 to 24 pounds, with item codes 65009, 77531, 46750, 86206, and 134394 printed on the labels. 

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said the chicken may be contaminated with metal fragments from a conveyor belt. (iStock)

Both FSIS and Hormel emphasized that the products were not sold in grocery stores or directly to consumers.

“This product is only sold to foodservice customers and cannot be purchased directly by consumers. All customers that may have received the affected product have been properly notified,” the company added. 

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Hormel said the impacted chicken was not sold directly to consumers in grocery stores. (Jeff Pachoud/File/AFP via / Getty Images)

FSIS cautioned that some recalled products may still be stored in the freezers of commercial kitchens and have been conducting routine checks to ensure the product is no longer available to consumers. 

“These businesses are urged not to serve the product,” the agency said in the announcement. “This product should be thrown away.”

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Hormel emphasized to FOX Business that “no other HORMEL® products are affected, and no illnesses or injuries have been reported in association with this recall.”