ALEXANDRIA, La. (UrbanCast: 10/19/2026) — Federal food safety officials have announced a nationwide recall involving nearly 1.6 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products. The products may have been stored at unsafe temperatures, raising concerns about possible bacterial growth.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced the recall Saturday, October 17.
Kayem Foods Inc., headquartered in Chelsea, Massachusetts, is recalling approximately 1,584,361 pounds of products distributed nationwide.
The USDA classified the recall as Class I, its highest health-risk category. This classification indicates a reasonable probability that consuming affected products could cause serious illness or death.
What Products Are Being Recalled?
The recall involves various ready-to-eat meat and poultry products manufactured between March 31 and October 7, 2026.
Affected products include hot dogs, sausages, bacon, ham, turkey breast, and other deli meats.
Several brands are involved, including:
- Kayem
- Al Fresco
- McKenzie
- Triple M
- Other products manufactured or distributed by Kayem Foods
The products were shipped to retail and foodservice locations across the United States and Hong Kong.
Because distribution was nationwide, Louisiana consumers should check their refrigerators and freezers for potentially affected products.
The USDA announcement does not identify specific Central Louisiana retailers.
What Triggered the Recall?
According to federal officials, Kayem Foods received a customer complaint on October 1 regarding products arriving at unusually warm temperatures.
The company investigated and discovered temperature problems inside a warehouse cooler.
Kayem Foods subsequently confirmed that a cooling system malfunction had caused improper storage temperatures.
Such conditions can allow harmful bacteria to multiply, potentially making food unsafe for consumption.
The USDA reported no confirmed illnesses associated with the recalled products at the time of its announcement.
How Consumers Can Identify Recalled Products
Consumers should examine product packaging for the following establishment numbers inside the USDA inspection mark:
EST. M/P 7839
EST. P 20935A
EST. M 9520
However, consumers should not rely on establishment numbers alone.
They should also compare product names, package sizes, UPC numbers, and lot codes against the official recall list.
Not every product sold under the affected brands is necessarily included in the recall.
What Should Consumers Do?
The USDA urges consumers not to eat recalled products.
Instead, consumers should discard the products or return them to the place of purchase.
Federal officials are particularly concerned that some affected products may remain in household refrigerators or freezers.
Anyone experiencing symptoms of illness after consuming potentially affected products should contact a healthcare provider.
Kayem Foods says it has corrected the storage issue and is contacting wholesale and retail customers.
Consumers seeking additional information can contact Kayem Foods Customer Service at 800-426-6100, Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern Time.
The USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline is also available at 888-674-6854.
Where to Find the Complete Recall List
Consumers can review the affected product descriptions, UPC numbers, and packaging photographs through the USDA’s official recall announcement.
The following products, of various weights, are subject to recall: Recall 026-2026 product labels.
USDA Recall Number: 026-2026
The recall remains an important food safety alert for households nationwide, including those across Central Louisiana.
Sources: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, October 17, 2026; Kayem Foods Inc., October 16, 2026.
Previous Article: Albertsons Expands Tuna Salad Recall in Louisiana and Surrounding States Over Listeria Risk
