Arkansas Firm Recalls Frozen Dinners Because Of Undeclared Allergen

WASHINGTON, August 22, 2003— Pinnacle Foods, a Fayetteville, Ark., establishment, is voluntarily recalling approximately 13,000 pounds of frozen, ready-to-eat chicken dinners that contain an undeclared allergen (egg), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.

The products subject to recall are approximately 1-lb. packages of "Swanson HUNGRY-MAN Classic Fried Chicken, White & Dark Chicken Pieces with Mashed Potatoes, Corn & Apple-Cranberry Crumb Dessert." Each package bears the following codes on the side panel "RECOMMENDED USE BY: OCT 2004 07013 P-138 4" followed directly by a date code between "0700 and 0800." Each package also bears the UPC code "51000 06514."

Instead of the Fried Chicken Dinner, the boxes contain the Chicken Strip Dinner, which contains egg.

The products were produced on July 1 and distributed to retail stores in California, Maryland, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington state.

A consumer notified Pinnacle Foods of the mislabeled product and Pinnacle Foods initiated a voluntary recall.

Egg is a known allergen. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to eggs run the risk of possible allergic reactions if they consume this product.

FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a physician.

Consumers with questions about the recall can contact the Pinnacle Foods' Consumer Hotline at (800) 554-5680. Media with questions about the recall may contact Kelley Maggs, senior vice president, at (973) 541-6640.

Consumers with food safety questions can phone the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at (888) MPHotline. The hotline is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. And recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.

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NOTE: Access news releases and other information at the FSIS Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov

FOOD ALLERGIES

USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline
1-888-MPHotline or visit
 www.fsis.usda.gov

Consumers who have a food allergy or severe food sensitivity should always read ingredient labels. In restaurants they should ask whether an allergy-causing ingredient is in the food.

A food allergy occurs when the immune system reacts to a certain food, usually within minutes after the food has been consumed.

Symptoms may include throat swelling, breathing trouble or a rash.

Strictly avoiding the allergy-causing food is the only absolute way to avoid a reaction.

Several foods account for 90% of allergic reactions. They include peanuts, tree nuts (walnuts, pecans, etc.), fish, shellfish, eggs, milk, soy, and wheat.

Persons who have a severe, life-threatening food allergy should always carry, and know how to administer, prescription epinephrine.