Nearly 2 Million Pounds Of Ready-To-Eat Chicken Recalled, So Check Your Refrigerator

On Sunday, the United States Department of Agriculture announced that nearly 2 million pounds of chicken were recalled by National Steak and Poultry due to possible undercooking of the ready-to-eat products. There haven't been any confirmed reports of illness due to consumption of the products, but the possibly undercooked products could lead to salmonella or campylobacter (bacterial pathogens commonly found in raw poultry) if they are undercooked, so make sure to check your refrigerator and get rid of the recalled products as soon as possible.

The recalled products include several different National Steak and Poultry ready-to-eat chicken products, from chicken strips to cubes of chicken breast. The recalled products can be recognized by their establishment number — "P-6010T" — which is printed on the USDA mark of inspection. A list of affected products (along with their case codes and lot codes) is also available on the National Steak and Poultry website. A total of 1,993,528 pounds of chicken were affected, so there are quite a few products being pulled from the market.

The voluntary recall was initiated after a customer called the food manufacturing company to complain about chicken that looked like it had been undercooked. "Food safety is of utmost importance to our company and the foodservice customers we serve," Mike Wilson, president of National Steak and Poultry, said in a statement. "We regret the inconvenience to our customers and are working closely with USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service officials to ensure that the recall is implemented promptly." National Steak and Poultry hasn't responded to Romper's request for additional comment.

The USDA classified the recall as a class I recall, according to CNN, meaning there is "reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death." Eating undercooked poultry can have nasty health effects on anyone, but pregnant women should be extra wary: contracting salmonellosis during pregnancy can be dangerous, since pregnant women develop salmonellosis complications more often and it can seriously affect fetuses. Salmonellosis' treatment has also unfortunately been associated with newborn health defects, according to Livestrong.

If you've fallen ill after eating any National Steak and Poultry products, make sure to report it to the USDA. As for any other poultry products in your fridge, make sure to double-check them against National Steak and Poultry's list of recalled products. Any affected ready-to-eat chicken should be returned to where you bought it or chucked immediately. Afterwards, make sure to spread the word to others to help keep your friends' and family's kitchens risk-free.