FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Processed Breaded Chicken Products Produced Without the Benefit of Inspection

WASHINGTON, July 25, 2014 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert because VU Foods, LLC, a Kansas City, Mo., establishment, refused to issue a recall of breaded chicken products for which there is reason to conclude that they are unfit for human consumption. The products were considered for recall because they were produced without inspection.

The products bear the establishment number “P-45038” inside the USDA mark of inspection or on the label. Some labels state that the products were distributed by Tact Foodservice or US Foods. These products will not be identifiable to consumers because they were sent to distributors and labeled for “Use in Restaurant Only.”

The following products were shipped to distribution centers:

• Select Cut – Cubed Chicken Breast Meat (product code: 10800)
• Select Cut – Cubed Chicken Breast Meat (product code: 10810)
• Cubed Chicken Breast Meat (product code: 10500)
• Pre-Battered Chicken Tender (product code: 80022)
• Boneless All Natural Chicken Breast Nuggets (product code: 8550)
• Chicken Dark Meat Nuggets (product code: 20505)
• KIKKA Boneless All Natural Chicken Breast Nuggets, packed exclusively for KIKKA RESTAURANTS

The problem was discovered by the state of Missouri, which was assisted by law enforcement to enter a warehouse location and observed products that were produced without the benefit of inspection. The state of Missouri notified FSIS of the facility operating without the benefit of inspection on July 15, 2014. On that same day, the state of Missouri began detaining the breaded chicken products produced at the facility and FSIS began detaining additional products on July 17, 2014. FSIS served a Notice of Suspension to VU Foods, LLC, on July 24, 2014. FSIS is continuing to detain the product in question and is conducting trace forward operations with distribution centers to request the product back from their restaurant customers.

The investigation enforcement actions are ongoing and FSIS is prepared to take additional actions or expand the investigation based on new evidence.

FSIS has received no reports of illness due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider.

Consumers with food safety questions can “Ask Karen,” the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day. The online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/reportproblem.