Johnsonville Recalls Over 42,000 Pounds of Sausages Over Possible Contamination

14 oz. Beddar with Cheddar sausage package Courtesy of Johnsonville

Sausage maker Johnsonville is issuing a voluntary recall of more than 42,000 pounds of its ready-to-eat “Beddar With Chedder” sausages because of possible contamination with extraneous materials.

The pork sausage links may include very thin strands of black, plastic fibers, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

The affected pork sausage links were produced on Jan 26, reported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The specific packages subject to the recall include 14-ounce vacuum-packed packages of “Beddar with Cheddar” sausage links marked with a best-by date of July 11, 2023, and a C35 code date printed on the back. To identify the affected products, look for the establishment number “EST. 34224” inside the USDA mark of inspection.

The sausage links were distributed to various retail locations across several states, including Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Texas, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Johnsonville noted that if the fibers are consumed, the FSIS believes they pose a low risk of adverse health effects.

“The safety of our consumer is our primary concern, which is why we’re issuing the recall,” Johnsonville said in a press release.

To date, no illnesses related to the consumption of the contaminated sausage links have been reported, according to Johnsonville.

The USDA said it remains concerned that some of the recalled products may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers.

“Consumers who have purchased this product are urged not to consume them,” the agency said. “This product should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.”

The recall is designated Class II level, meaning “a potential health hazard situation in which there is a remote probability of adverse health consequences from eating the food,” according to the USDA.

For those seeking a refund, the USDA advises consumers to dispose of the affected sausage links or return them to the place of purchase. It is crucial not to consume the product to avoid any potential health risks.

Consumers with questions about the recall can contact Amanda Fritsch, Consumer Relations Coordinator, Johnsonville, LLC, at 888-556-2728 or [email protected].

Previously, Johnsonville recalled over 109,000 pounds of smoked pork sausages in 2018 because they were found to possibly be contaminated with hard green plastic material, according to the FSIS. Additionally, in 2019, the meat giant called back more than 95,000 pounds of jalapeño cheddar sausages also because of possible contamination with hard green plastic material.

Other Recalls

In a separate recall, Cricket Creek Farm of Williamstown, Massachusetts, is recalling Sophelise, Tobasi, and Berkshire Bloom cheeses due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. Those products were distributed in locations in New York and Massachusetts, Cricket Creek said, according to the FDA.

Some of the cheeses were recalled because “pasteurization records did not illustrate the heating element reached required temperature,” according to the notice. At least one person was hospitalized due to a severe infection with Listeria monocytogenes after eating the recalled product, the notice said.

Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria, can cause a serious infection known as listeriosis—a potentially fatal disease in high-risk individuals, said health officials.

Jack Phillips contributed to this report.