Perdue recalls 167,000 pounds of frozen chicken that may contain metal

Caption

The USDA is asking consumers to throw away any potentially contaminated products, including the organic gluten-free chicken breast nuggets seen here. The affected products have a "best if used by" date of March 23, 2025. / Perdue Foods

Perdue Foods says it has recalled more than 167,000 pounds of frozen chicken products after discovering they may be contaminated with traces of metal.

In a statement released Friday, Perdue said it had voluntarily recalled 167,171 pounds of frozen breaded chicken breast tenders and nuggets after identifying a “foreign material” in its products following consumer complaints.

“We determined the material to be a very thin strand of metal wire that was inadvertently introduced into the manufacturing process,” said Jeff Shaw, senior vice president of food safety and quality for Perdue.

Shaw added that the recall was made “out of an abundance of caution,” and that there have been no reports of injury or illness associated with the contaminated products.

The recall concerns products that were produced on March 23, 2024, with a “best if used by” date of March 23, 2025.

The recalled products include:

• Perdue Simply Smart Organic Gluten Free Breaded Chicken Breast Nuggets 
• Perdue Breaded Chicken Breast Tenders 
• Butcher Box Organic Free Fully Frozen-Cooked Breast Chicken Nuggets

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) urged consumers who have these products in their freezer to throw them away.

"Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them,” the FSIS said in a statement. “These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase."

In November 2023, Tyson Foods recalled around 30,000 pounds of dinosaur-shaped frozen chicken nuggets after consumers reported finding metal pieces in the product.