Kayem recalls 1.58 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry

FSIS says affected Kayem products may have been stored at unsuitable temperatures. Consumers should not eat them and can discard them or return them to the seller.

issue.red Published 22 Oct 2026, 01:32 1 min read

Editorial collage using an archive US Capitol photograph with generic drawings of food trays and a refrigerator thermometer — AI-created editorial collage using an18August2016 photograph of the US Capitol by the Architect of the Capitol, a US federal government work in the public domain. The archive photograph is US context; it does not show FSIS premises, a Kayem facility or a recall event. Food trays and thermometer are illustrative drawings, not photographs of recalled packaging or a measured storage temperature. Photo and rights: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:U.S._Capitol_-_August_18,_2016_(28961069150).jpg

Consumers holding meat and poultry covered by a Kayem Foods recall are being urged not to eat it after the company identified storage-temperature problems. The US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced the recall on 17 October, covering approximately 1,584,361 pounds of ready-to-eat products.

The recall is recorded as Class I, or high risk. It concerns identified products from the Chelsea, Massachusetts establishment, not every item sold under the Kayem name.

Check the inspection mark and product list

FSIS says affected products were produced approximately 31 March to 7 October 2026. Their USDA inspection marks bear establishment numbers “EST. M/P 7839,” “EST. P 20935A” or “EST. M 9520.” The notice links to product labels and a product-and-UPC list for items distributed from the Chelsea location.

Consumers should match the specific product against those official materials. The establishment number or brand name alone does not establish that every product in a refrigerator is recalled.

What prompted the recall

According to FSIS, the company received a retail customer complaint about warm products on delivery on 1 October. Its investigation found that various ready-to-eat products had been stored in a warehouse cooler experiencing temperature deviations.

The notice says affected items were shipped to retail and foodservice locations nationwide and to Hong Kong. FSIS expressed concern that some products might remain in consumers’ refrigerators.

Do not consume affected products

The instruction is to throw recalled products away or return them to the place of purchase. In its 17 October announcement, FSIS said there had been no confirmed reports of illness due to consumption of the products. That statement describes the report at that time, rather than a guarantee about every subsequent case.

Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider, the agency says. Consumers needing recall assistance can use the Kayem customer-service contact in the FSIS notice. The notice provides the authoritative product materials and any later distribution-list updates.

Sources

Kayem Foods Inc. Recalls Meat and Poultry Products Due to Possible Temperature Abuse — USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service