Kayem Foods Recalls 1.58 Million Pounds of Ready-to-Eat Meats Over Temperature Issues

WASHINGTON — Kayem Foods Inc. is recalling approximately 1,584,361 pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products that may have been stored at temperatures that could allow bacterial growth, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service said.

The Class I recall covers products produced from March 31 to Oct. 7 at the company's Chelsea, Massachusetts, facility. The items were shipped to retail and food-service locations across the United States and to Hong Kong. FSIS classified the recall as high risk because ready-to-eat products that experience temperature abuse can pose a reasonable probability of serious adverse health consequences.

The products carry establishment numbers "EST. M/P 7839," "EST. P 20935A" or "EST. M 9520" inside the USDA mark of inspection. More than 100 items are affected, including hot dogs, bacon, deli meats, bratwursts, sausage, turkey breasts and hams sold under brands such as Kayem, Genoa, Al Fresco, Triple M, McKenzie Country Classics, Deutschmacher, Jordan's, Essem and Winnisimmet. Full product lists and labels are posted on the FSIS website.

The problem came to light after a retail customer reported receiving warm product on Oct. 1. Kayem investigated and determined that a warehouse cooler holding various ready-to-eat items had experienced temperature deviations. The company has not released the exact temperatures reached or the duration of the deviation.

Kayem Foods President and CEO Matt Monkiewicz said the firm is conducting the recall out of an abundance of caution. "Our business depends on providing consumers with safe food of the highest quality," Monkiewicz said in a company statement. "We take food safety very seriously and apologize to our valued consumers. Our management team takes full responsibility. We have learned from and corrected the issue and will not allow this to happen again."

No illnesses linked to the products have been confirmed. FSIS said it remains concerned that some packages may still be in consumers' refrigerators or freezers because many of the items have long shelf lives. Consumers who have purchased affected products should not eat them. The agency advises throwing the products away or returning them to the place of purchase. Anyone who believes they have become ill after eating a recalled product should contact a health care provider.

Ready-to-eat meats are fully cooked before packaging, so consumers typically do not reheat them to a temperature that would kill pathogens. Temperature abuse during storage can allow bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes to grow to levels that cause illness. Listeria can survive refrigeration and is particularly hazardous for pregnant people, older adults and individuals with weakened immune systems. Symptoms of listeriosis can include fever, muscle aches and gastrointestinal distress; severe cases can lead to meningitis or pregnancy complications.

FSIS is conducting recall-effectiveness checks to verify that the company has notified customers and that recalled products are no longer available for sale. The agency has not released the results of those checks. Kayem said it is contacting wholesale and retail customers directly with disposal instructions.

The Chelsea plant is a federally inspected meat and poultry processing establishment. Kayem is a family-owned company that produces specialty meats under multiple brand names. The firm's customer service line is 800-426-6100, available weekdays during business hours, or consumers can email [email protected].

Large-scale ready-to-eat meat recalls are relatively uncommon but not unprecedented. Temperature deviations in cold storage have triggered previous FSIS actions when companies could not confirm that products remained within safe ranges throughout the distribution chain. In this case, the volume—more than 1.5 million pounds—makes the recall one of the larger meat recalls of 2026 by weight.

Retailers that received the products are removing them from shelves and notifying customers where purchase records allow. Food-service operators, including restaurants and institutional kitchens, have been instructed to quarantine and dispose of any affected inventory. Because the products moved through both retail and food-service channels, FSIS said consumers who ate the items outside the home may not know the brand or establishment number.

Hong Kong health authorities have not issued a separate public alert as of the latest available information. FSIS said the exported products are included in the U.S. recall notice. Companies that export FSIS-regulated products are required to notify foreign customers when a recall is initiated.

The production window spans more than six months. Packages produced early in that period could still be in freezers. Consumers are advised to check the establishment number on any Kayem or related-brand product rather than relying solely on the product name or package appearance. A matching establishment number and production date within the recall window means the item is subject to the recall.

Monkiewicz said the company has corrected the cooler issue. The firm has not disclosed the specific mechanical or operational failure that allowed the temperature deviation. FSIS has not announced any additional enforcement actions beyond the recall.

Public health officials note that the absence of confirmed illnesses does not eliminate risk. Some people may have consumed the products without connecting subsequent symptoms to the food. Others may still have packages at home. FSIS urges consumers who are uncertain about a product to discard it rather than risk consumption.

The recall does not affect all Kayem products. Only items bearing the listed establishment numbers and produced within the stated dates are included. Products produced after the cooler was repaired or stored in other facilities are not part of the recall, according to the company and FSIS.

Consumers can view the complete product list, including UPC codes and sample labels, on the FSIS recalls page. The agency also maintains a public health alert system for situations that do not rise to the level of a full recall. In this case, officials determined a Class I recall was warranted because of the volume of product and the potential for pathogen growth in ready-to-eat foods.

Kayem has not released an estimate of the financial impact of the recall. Large meat processors typically face costs for product retrieval, destruction, customer credits and potential lost sales. The company has not said whether insurance will cover any portion of those costs.

FSIS continues to investigate the circumstances that led to the temperature deviations. The agency has not indicated whether it will issue additional guidance to the industry based on this incident. Cold-storage monitoring and alarm systems are standard requirements for federally inspected plants; the specific failure mode in this case remains under review.

Anyone with questions about the recall can contact Kayem customer service or the FSIS consumer hotline. The agency's website lists the full product inventory and provides photographs of labels to help consumers identify affected packages.