The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for ready-to-eat (RTE) chicken and pork tamale products containing Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulated diced tomatoes in puree that have been recalled by the producer, due to concerns that the products may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically hard plastic.
Officials said the hard plastic may pose a choking hazard or cause damage to teeth or gums.
FSIS is issuing this public health alert out of the utmost caution to ensure that consumers are aware that these products, which bear the USDA mark of inspection, should not be consumed.
According to officials, the frozen RTE chicken and pork tamale items were produced between October 22, and November 9, by Tucson Tamale Wholesale Co. LLC, an establishment in Tucson, Arizona
The following products have been recalled:
Cases containing eight individually packed tamales with the labels “TUCSON TAMALE GREEN CHILE CHICKEN TAMALE” or “TUCSON TAMALE Green Chile Chicken Tamales” with lot codes F20296 and F20309 and sell-by dates of 10/23/22 and 11/05/22.
Cases containing six packages with two tamales each of “TUCSON TAMALE GREEN CHILE CHICKEN TAMALES” with lot codes F20309 and F20296 and sell-by dates of 10/23/22 and 11/05/22.
Cases containing 30 tamales of “TUCSON TAMALE Green Chile Pork & Cheese Tamales” with lot codes F20303 and F20307 and sell-by dates of 10/30/22 and 11/03/22.
Cases containing eight individually packed tamales of “TUCSON TAMALE GREEN CHILE PORK & CHEESE TAMALE” with lot codes F20307 and F20314 and sell-by dates of 11/03/22 and 11/10/22.
Cases containing six packages with two tamales each of “TUCSON TAMALE GREEN CHILE PORK & CHEESE TAMALES” with lot codes F20303 and F20307 and sell-by dates 10/30/22 and 11/03/22.
Packages containing two tamales of “TUCSON TAMALE GREEN CHILE PORK & CHEESE TAMALES” with lot codes F20303, F20307 and F20302 and sell-by dates of 10/29/22, 10/30/22 and 11/03/22.
Cases containing 30 tamales of “TUCSON TAMALE Green Chile Chicken Tamales” with lot code F20296 and a sell-by date of 10/23/22.
The products bear establishment number “EST. 45860” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were sold online and also shipped to distributors for further distribution to retail locations and restaurants nationwide.
According to officials, the problem was discovered by Tucson Tamale Wholesale Co. when they identified pieces of hard plastic in the cans of diced tomatoes in puree that they received from their ingredients supplier.
The ingredients supplier initiated a recall of the diced tomatoes in puree with the FDA. As more FDA information becomes available, FSIS will update this public health alert.
There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider.