Willow Tree Poultry Farm, a manufacturer of poultry products, has recalled more than 52,000 pounds of some chicken salads and dips because of potential plastic contamination, the Agriculture Department announced.
The recall affects only a limited amount of chicken salad and dips that were manufactured Aug. 10 to Aug. 13, according to the Agriculture Department's Food Safety and Inspection Service, or FSIS. No injuries or illnesses have been reported.
The announcement said pieces of "hard white plastic" may be in the salads and dips.
All of the recalled products have the label "EST. P-8827" inside the Agriculture Department's mark of inspection, according to the FSIS. Among the states affected are Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont.
The problem was discovered, the FSIS said, after Willow Tree Poultry Farm received a consumer complaint and notified the agency.
The company "immediately researched the issue and uncovered a food grade plastic bearing that failed on our cooking line," President Walter Cekala said in an email Wednesday. "Even though we were able to account for over 90% of the bearing, we decided, out of abundance of caution, to voluntarily recall all of the product produced with the chicken cooked on that day.
"New measures have been put in place to safeguard this from occurring in the future. The production of safe, wholesome food is and always will be our primary mission," he added.
Customers who were affected by the recall were advised not to eat the chicken salad or the dip. They should throw the products away or return them to the original retailer.
