Plastic pieces prompt Tyson to recall 132,000 pounds of chicken nuggets

More than 132,000 pounds of chicken nuggets are under recall because they may be contaminated with pieces of hard plastic, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday in a recall notice.

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Tyson Foods Inc. is recalling fully cooked "Panko Chicken Nugget" products that were produced July 18. The recall encompasses five-pound bags of nuggets, which were distributed for sale by retailers nationwide, and 20-pound cases that were shipped for institutional use in Pennsylvania.

The recall was prompted by complaints from customers who found "foreign matter" in their chicken nuggets, according to the USDA. Tyson told the government agency that the pieces of plastic found were around 21mm in length and 6.5 mm in diameter.

The Missouri-based company believes the fragments may have come from a plastic rod used by the company to connect a transfer belt during manufacturing.

Tyson hasn't gotten any reports of health issues caused by the plastic, although consumers are still being urged to throw away or return the chicken nuggets.

The following products fall under the recall notice:

• Five-pound bags of Tyson's "Fully Cooked Panko Chicken Nuggets" with a "Best If Used By" date of July 18, 2017 and case codes 2006SDL03 and 2006SDL33
• Twenty-pound bulk packages of "Spare Time Fully Cooked Panko Chicken Nuggets, Nugget Shaped Chicken Breast Pattie Fritters with Rib Meat" with a production date of July 18, 2016 and case code 2006SDL03

Both products have the establishment number "EST. 13556" printed next to the "Best If Use By" dates on the back packaging.

Cox Media Group