Meat Warning Issued After Thousands of Pounds Recalled

A New York-based food processing company has recalled nearly 19,000 pounds of sausage, sliced meat, and poultry products.

Smith Packing, LLC, issued the recall due to sodium nitrite levels that exceeded regulatory limits, according to the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (FSIS).

Why It Matters

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According to FSIS guidelines, sodium nitrite is used to preserve meat and poultry products while also inhibiting bacterial growth. However, consuming products with sodium nitrite levels that exceed regulatory limits may pose health risks.

The recall was classified as a Class I recall, which indicates “a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.”

What to Know

The affected items, produced between February 19 and April 24, 2025, bear the establishment number “EST. 4578” or “P-4578” inside the USDA mark of inspection.

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The products were distributed to institutions and retail locations across New York.

Smith Packaging notified FSIS after receiving consumer complaints about the product’s taste and color.

As of Tuesday, there had been no confirmed illnesses associated with the consumption of the recalled items.

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FSIS warned that some of the affected products could still be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers.

The specific products affected by the recall are listed below:

A spokesperson for Palmer Foods, the primary distributor of the potentially affected product, told Newsweek: “Palmer Foods discovered on April 24 that certain products produced by its vendor, Smith Packing in Utica, were inedible.

Smith immediately shut down production, notified the USDA, and discovered that the products contained an excessive amount of a curing agent.

“In coordination with the USDA, Smith agreed to a recall of approximately 18,000 pounds of meat products labeled Honest John’s, As-Salam, and Beefland that could have been affected.

Approximately 90% of that product never left the warehouse, and 34 customers were identified as receiving potentially inedible meat. Palmer is working with those customers to recover and destroy any potentially contaminated products.”

What Happens Next?

Consumers and institutions in possession of recalled products are advised not to consume them. They are encouraged to discard or return them to the place where they were purchased.

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