Kayem Foods Recalls 1.58 Million Pounds of Meat Nationwide

A storage cooler malfunction has prompted Kayem Foods Inc. to recall approximately 1,584,361 pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products distributed across the United States and Hong Kong. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced the Class I recall on October 17, 2026, warning that consuming affected products could pose serious health risks.

The recall covers products manufactured between March 31 and October 7, 2026, including hot dogs, bacon, sausages, ham, brisket and other ready-to-eat meat and poultry items. According to the FSIS, the products were distributed to retail stores and food service establishments, with shipments reaching Long Island, New York.

Consumers can identify potentially affected products by checking the establishment numbers inside the USDA inspection mark: M/P 7839, P 20935A or M 9520. The products were sold under multiple brand names, including Al Fresco, McKenzie and Essem, according to Newsday.

The FSIS classified the incident as Class I, its highest-risk recall category, indicating a reasonable probability that consuming the affected products could cause serious adverse health consequences. As of the agency's October 17 announcement, no confirmed illnesses had been linked to the recalled products.

The agency advises consumers not to eat any affected items. Products should be discarded or returned to the retailer where they were purchased, and the official USDA recall notice provides additional product identification details.

The temperature problem came to light on October 1, when a retail customer complained that products had arrived warmer than expected. An investigation subsequently identified temperature fluctuations in a warehouse cooler used to store various ready-to-eat meat and poultry products, according to the FSIS.

Kayem Foods initiated the voluntary recall on October 16 and said it was cooperating with federal officials. The Chelsea, Massachusetts-based company also contacted wholesale and retail customers to help identify and remove affected products from distribution.

Matt Monkiewicz, president and CEO of Kayem Foods, addressed the company's decision in a statement published on its website.

"Our business depends on providing consumers with safe food of the highest quality. Out of an abundance of caution, we are undertaking this voluntary recall. We take food safety very seriously and apologize to our valued consumers.

Our management team takes full responsibility. We have learned from and corrected the issue and will not allow this to happen again," said Matt Monkiewicz, president and CEO of Kayem Foods.

The company also said it was working with retail and wholesale partners to support the removal of affected products. Retailers identified as carrying Kayem products in the Long Island area include Walmart, Stop & Shop and ShopRite, according to Newsday, although consumers should verify specific products against the official recall list.

The recall follows an earlier incident involving the company. Last year, Kayem Foods recalled more than 24,000 pounds of chicken sausage over concerns that the products might contain pieces of plastic.

Consumers seeking information about the current recall can contact Kayem Foods customer service at 800-426-6100 or [email protected].