29,541 Pounds of Beef Products Recalled Due to Possible Metal Contamination

The withdrawal has been tagged as a ‘Class 1’ recall, suggesting a fatal risk.

An image of the recalled "Chomps Original Beef Stick Mild" produced by Idaho Smokehouse Partners LLC. USDA.

Idaho Smokehouse Partners LLC is withdrawing some of its beef items from the market following consumer complaints about contamination, according to the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

The recall is applicable to “approximately 29,541 pounds of ready-to-eat beef stick products that may be contaminated with foreign material, specifically metal,” the agency said in a March 20 statement. “The problem was discovered after the firm notified FSIS that it received two consumer complaints reporting that pieces of metal were found in the product.”

FSIS classified the recall under the most severe “Class 1-High” category, referring to “a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.”

So far, no confirmed reports of injury have been received. The announcement asked people who have consumed the product and are worried about potential injury to get in touch with a health care provider.

In an emailed statement to The Epoch Times, the company said, “Once Idaho Smokehouse Partners became aware of the two complaints, out of an abundance of caution, we worked with regulatory authorities on the best way to protect consumers from this issue.”

The products, labeled “Chomps Original Beef Stick Mild,” have an expiration date of Feb. 10, 2026, and were sold through retail outlets in Illinois and California.

They come in 1.15-oz vacuum-sealed packages with lot code 25016 printed on the labels. The items were produced between Jan. 13 and 15, 2025.

“FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ pantries. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase,” FSIS said.

Individuals who have questions regarding the recall can contact Idaho Smokehouse Partners at 208-227-5282.

Multiple food recalls have been issued over the past year for metal contamination. In January, California-based Bestway Sandwiches Inc. pulled out around 24,870 pounds of chicken products from the market following concerns the items contain metal pieces.

The company “received a consumer complaint reporting that a piece of metal was found in the frozen chicken and cheese taquito product.” In addition, “another consumer reported to FSIS to have a dental injury from the product.”

In August 2024, Georgia-based Perdue Foods LLC recalled approximately 167,171 pounds of frozen ready-to-eat chicken breast nuggets and tender products that may have been contaminated with “foreign material, specifically metal.”

Several customers complained about metal wires embedded in the food items, notifying FSIS about the matter.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), likely sources of metal contamination in food products include equipment used during the production process.

Metal parts from the equipment can break loose and mix with food items. Such machines include injection needles, portion control equipment, and moving wire mesh belts.

The agency’s Health Hazard Evaluation Board backs regulatory action against food items with metal fragments ranging from 0.3 inches to 1 inch in length.

If metal pieces get into food products, they have to be removed using magnets, flotation tanks, or screens.

However, such measures “are more likely to be effective in liquids, powders, and similar products in which the metal fragment will not become imbedded,” the FDA said.