Nestle recalls 92k pounds of chicken meal over unexpected plastic

Nestle is recalling more than 92,000lbs of chicken meal products sold under the Lean Cuisine brand because they may contain small pieces of hard plastic. The recall was recently highlighted by the USDA, with the recall noting that the US Department of Agriculture Food and Safety Inspection Service worries some of these products may still be in consumers' freezers.

The recall involves the product 'Lean Cuisine Baked Chicken,' a ready-made frozen meal product that was, in the case of these units, produced and packaged on September 2, 2020. According to the USDA's FSIS, it hasn't received any reports of illnesses or injuries resulting from these products.

However, Nestle received five complaints from customers who had found pieces of hard white plastic in their meals. An investigation led the company to believe the contamination is sourced from the mashed potatoes in the meal; the plastic may have come from a broken conveyor belt.

The recalled products were packaged in 8-5/8oz carton trays featuring mashed potatoes, chicken, stuffing, and gravy; the 'Best Before' date on these units is October 2021, meaning there's a good chance many consumers may have these recalled items in their freezers. The lot code for the recalled items is '0246595911.'

The USDA says that consumers who have these recalled products should throw them away or return them to the store from which they were purchased. Nestle Prepared Foods is accepting calls from the public to answer questions recalled to the recall, as well.