Kayem Foods Recalls Nearly 1.6 Million Pounds of Meat

Nearly 1.6 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products from Kayem Foods Inc. are being recalled after a warehouse cooler failed to maintain consistent temperatures, potentially allowing harmful bacteria to grow. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced the recall on October 17, 2026, covering products distributed to retailers and food service locations across the United States and Hong Kong.

The FSIS classified the recall as Class I, its highest risk category, indicating a reasonable probability that consuming the affected products could cause serious adverse health consequences or death. The agency said there have been no confirmed reports of illnesses linked to the recalled products.

The affected items include hot dogs, bacon, deli ham, turkey breast, bologna, liverwurst, corned beef, brisket, kielbasa, chicken sausages, meatballs and breakfast patties. Products were manufactured between approximately March 31 and October 7, 2026, and sold under eight brand names: Kayem, Al Fresco, Triple M, McKenzie, Deutschmacher, Jordan's, Essem and Winnisimmet St. Butchery.

Consumers can identify potentially affected packages by checking the USDA mark of inspection on the label. The recall applies to products bearing establishment numbers EST. M/P 7839, EST.

P 20935A or EST. M 9520. According to the FSIS, some recalled products carry use-by dates extending into February 2027, meaning items purchased weeks earlier may still be in household refrigerators.

The investigation began after a retail customer complained on October 1, 2026, that delivered products felt unusually warm. Kayem investigated the complaint and found that a warehouse cooler used to store the meat had experienced inconsistent temperatures, according to the recall announcement.

The FSIS advises consumers not to eat any recalled products. They should discard the meat or return it to the store where it was purchased. Cooking the products does not guarantee safety, and the appearance or smell of food cannot reliably establish whether it is contaminated.

Melissa Vaccaro, a senior food safety program specialist at the National Environmental Health Association, emphasized that consumers cannot reliably assess food safety through their senses.

"One of the most important things for consumers to understand is that you cannot reliably determine whether food is safe by looking at it, smelling it, or tasting it," Melissa Vaccaro, senior food safety program specialist at the National Environmental Health Association, told NBC Selected.

Vaccaro explained that harmful microorganisms may be present even when food shows no obvious signs of spoilage. Her guidance also cautions against tasting questionable food to determine whether it is safe.

The FSIS said it will verify that Kayem notifies its customers and that recalled products are removed from store shelves. The agency also plans to publish lists of stores that received the affected products on its recalls webpage when the information becomes available.

Consumers with questions can contact Kayem Foods customer service at 800-426-6100, Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time, or email [email protected]. Anyone concerned about a possible illness after consuming an affected product should contact a healthcare provider, according to the FSIS.