Boston Market Frozen Pork Ribs Recalled Over Glass Contamination

Frozen dinners marketed under the Boston Market brand have been recalled by their manufacturer after the company learned they might be contaminated with pieces of glass or hard plastic, posing a serious safety risk to consumers. A spokesperson for Boston Market says the recall does not affect any products actually sold in Boston Market restaurants.

Thankfully, no reports of consumer injuries have yet been confirmed. Authorities say the products should be thrown out or returned to the place of purchase.

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173,376 Pounds Of Boston Market Pork Under Recall

Bellisio Foods of Jackson, Ohio is recalling Boston Market frozen dinners produced between December 7, 2018 to February 15, 2019, saying packages of the company's boneless pork rib patties may be contaminated with foreign materials, including pieces of glass, according to a press announcement published by the US Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service on Saturday, February 23, 2019.

The Department of Agriculture has listed this as a Class I recall, signifying "a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death." Needless to say, biting into a piece of glass or hard plastic (or both) could lead to severe injuries for a consumer. As a result, the Agriculture Department's Food Safety and Inspection Service has advised consumers not to eat the boneless pork rib patties, but to throw them out or return them to the place of purchase.

Product Details

The Agriculture Department says approximately 173,376 pounds of frozen pork entree products are being recalled. The recall applies to frozen, not ready-to-eat boneless pork rib patty products, which come in a 14-oz. cardboard box labeled as "Boston Market Home Style Meals Boneless pork Rib Shaped Patty with BBQ Sauce and Mashed Potatoes." Recalled products bear a Best By date of 12/07/2019 (lot code 8341), 01/04/2020 (9004), 01/24/2020 (lot code 9024) or 02/15/2020 (lot code 9046). Products subject to the recall also bear the establishment number "EST. 18297" on the end flap of the carton package.

Recalled Meat Products Shipped Nationwide

Officials say the recalled products were shipped to retail locations nationwide, along with a Department of Defense facility in Tucson, Arizona. As EcoWatch reports, the Food Safety and Inspection Service does not yet have a full list of all the stores that received affected product. Nor is it known whether the Department of Defense facility shipped the boneless pork rib patties on to additional facilities.

According to the Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, Bellisio Foods learned of the problem after consumers complained of glass or hard plastic material found in the meat patty. Founded in 1990, Bellisio Foods produces over 400 frozen food products, including items marketed under license for brands Boston Market and Chilli's.

No Injury Reports Yet

The Food Safety and Inspection Service says it was made aware of the issue on February 22, 2019. No confirmed reports of consumer injuries have yet emerged, but the Department of Agriculture is concerned that affected products may be frozen in consumer freezers. The agency urges consumers who purchased the product not to consume it. The products should be thrown away, or returned to the point of purchase for further processing.

A Short History Of Food Recalls

According to Fortune, the recall of Boston Market boneless pork rib patties follows on the heels of a number of similar recalls over the last few years. In January of 2019, chicken brand Perdue was forced to recall around 68,000 pounds of chicken nuggets after consumers discovered pieces of wood in them. Likewise, a supplier to grocery chain Kroger in May 2018 recalled over 35,000 pounds of ground beef in light of plastic contamination.

A survey conducted by Food Safety Magazine found that, in 2018 alone, manufacturers issued 28 food recalls in the United States due to extraneous material contamination. Out of those 28 contamination recalls, around half (13) were caused by the presence of plastic, with metal coming in second.

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