Alabama Firm Recalls Chicken That May Contain Glass

WASHINGTON, June 12, 2003--ConAgra Poultry Company, an Athens, Ga., establishment, is voluntarily recalling approximately 129,000 pounds of fresh chicken that may contain glass, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.

The products being recalled are:

• 3.5-4 lb. bags of "Country Pride FRESH CHICKEN" bearing a sell-by date of "6-20-03," "6-21-03," or "6-22-03." Each bag also has an establishment code of "P-177" inside the USDA seal of inspection. The products were produced on June 10 and distributed to retail stores in Florida, Georgia, New York, North Carolina and South Carolina.

• 40 lb. cases of "FRESH YOUNG CHICKEN 8 PC WOFT / 20 HD" bearing a product code of "019434" and an establishment code "P-1279" inside the USDA seal of inspection. The products were produced on June 10 and distributed to institutions in Florida, Georgia, New York, North Carolina and South Carolina.

• 40 lb. cases of "COUNTRY PRIDE FRESH YOUNG CHICKEN WHOLE WINGS AND LIVERS" bearing a product code of "019553" and an establishment code "P-6638" inside the USDA seal of inspection. The products were produced on June 9-10 and distributed to institutions in Florida, Georgia, New York, North Carolina and South Carolina.

ConAgra Poultry Company discovered the problem and contacted FSIS to initiate a product recall.

"Because of the potential hazard, I urge consumers who have purchased these products not to eat them but to return them to the place of purchase," said Dr. Garry L. McKee, FSIS administrator.

Consumers with questions about the recall may contact Elaine Born, consumer communication, at (770) 232-4200, or the consumer hotline at (800) 414-7500. Media with questions may contact Bob McKoen, corporate communications, at (402) 595-4691.

Consumers with other food safety questions can phone the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-800-535-4555. The hotline is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.

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