Florida meat lovers beware: this isn’t an early Halloween prank. You could injure yourself quite unexpectedly when you take a bite out of chicken strips or sausage you bought at the super market. These popular meat products were recalled because they might actually contain bones or pieces of plastic.
The U.S. Agriculture Department says more than 245,000 pounds of Banquet frozen chicken strips entrees have been recalled because they might contain plastic. If you thought you were buying whole pieces of chicken breasts, this pretty much shatters that myth!
At the same time, the Agriculture Department also announced the recall of nearly 15,000 pounds of Hillshire Farm sausage. In this case, we’ve graduated from pieces of plastic to bits of bone!
Injuries have been minimal, but severe enough to prompt the recalls.
Conagra Brands Inc., owner of Banquet Foods that produces the chicken strips, notified food safety inspectors that they had received a complaint from somebody who injured their mouth eating the chicken strips. In their recall announcement, the company said their frozen chicken strips entrees “may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically piece of plastic.” If you have some of these Banquet brand chicken strip entrees in your freezer, you can check here for the affected lot numbers and production dates.
Here’s what you need to know about the sausage recall. It’s affecting Hillshire Farm Smoked Sausage made with pork, turkey and beef. One person reported a mouth injury while eating it, and others complained to both Hillshire Brands, Inc, and the Food Safety Inspection Service of bone found in the sausage Click here for more information.
You Should Probably Skip These Foods At A Breakfast Buffet
Eggs
Many establishments opt for powdered eggs instead of fresh ones, as it’s a cost-effective way to prepare large quantities of scrambled eggs to cater to numerous guests at once. However, powdered eggs cannot compare to the taste, texture, and color of their fresh counterparts. Another concern lies in the fact that these eggs are pre-cooked, which means they might sit at unsafe temperatures for extended periods.
According to the FDA, serving eggs immediately after cooking is crucial to prevent foodborne illnesses. Unfortunately, in a buffet setting, it’s challenging to determine how long the eggs have been sitting out.
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Fruit
Unless you witnessed the fruit being freshly prepared in the kitchen, it’s nearly impossible to gauge how long that eye-catching fruit display has been sitting there. According to the FDA, when fruits are cut, their protective skins are breached, leaving the flesh vulnerable to the surrounding environment and any potential bacteria. This creates two primary reasons that heighten the risk of contamination. Firstly, cutting the fruit makes its water content and nutrients readily available to microorganisms. Secondly, without any heating process, disease-causing germs aren’t eliminated, further contributing to the potential hazards of consuming cut fruits from a buffet display.
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Waffles
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There’s a joy of pouring your own batter into a Belgian waffle maker, flipping it eagerly, and waiting for that gratifying green light before embellishing it with toppings. However, it’s best to exercise caution and avoid the waffle station. As per TikToker Brandi Augustus, a former hotel employee, the waffle batter served there is often old and sour. Instead of disposing of the old batter, new batter is mixed with it. It’s worth noting that not all places offering breakfast buffets adhere to this practice, but it’s wise to stay informed and make a decision based on the circumstances.
