Kayem hot dog and bacon recall
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Massachusetts-based Kayem Foods recalled 1,584,361 pounds of ready-to-eat meats after a warehouse cooler failed.
Some recalled items carry use-by dates into February 2027, so check your fridge.
Background
Kayem Foods Inc. is a Massachusetts-based meat company in Chelsea, MA, that issued the voluntary recall. The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the federal agency that announced the recall, said the products were stored in a warehouse cooler that experienced temperature deviations, which Kayem attributed to a cooling-system malfunction. The recall covers ready-to-eat hot dogs, bacon, sausages, deli meats and poultry sold under brands including Kayem, Al Fresco, McKenzie, Triple M, Deutschmacher, Jordan's, Essem and Winnisimmet St. Butchery, shipped across the U.S. and to Hong Kong.
How it unfolded
- Mar 31, 2026Production of the recalled ready-to-eat meat and poultry products begins; the production window runs through Oct 7, 2026.
- Jun 7, 2026Kayem says the affected foods were stored and shipped between June 7 and Oct 14, 2026.
- Oct 1, 2026A retail customer complains that product was warm when delivered, prompting the investigation.
- Oct 17, 2026Kayem Foods issues the recall and FSIS announces it.
- Oct 19, 2026Outlets report the recall; FSIS places it in Class I, its highest-risk category.
- Oct 20, 2026Fox Business and NBC News publish follow-up coverage.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Kayem President and CEO Matt Monkiewicz said the recall is voluntary and out of an abundance of caution, apologized to consumers, and said the company takes full responsibility and has corrected the issue.
- Caution
- FSIS said consumers should not eat the recalled meats and should throw them away or return them to the store where bought.
Still unverified
FSIS said there are no confirmed reports of illness linked to the products; it said it will post lists of stores that received the products once available.