More Than 760,000 Pounds of Hot Pockets Recalled
Nestlé Prepared Foods said the product might be contaminated with “extraneous materials,” including glass and hard plastic.
Jan. 17, 2021, 11:05 a.m. ET
Nestlé Prepared Foods has recalled more than 700,000 pounds of frozen pepperoni Hot Pockets that may contain pieces of glass and hard plastic, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said on Friday.
The recall was issued after Nestlé received four separate consumer complaints of “extraneous materials” in pepperoni Hot Pockets, the Food Safety and Inspection Service said.
The company said in a news release on Friday that contaminated products “could pose a choking or laceration risk and should be not be consumed.”
One consumer reported a “minor oral injury associated with consumption of this product,” but there had been no other reports of injury or illness, the Food Safety and Inspection Service said.
The recall includes approximately 762,615 pounds of pepperoni Hot Pockets that were packed in 54-ounce cartons containing 12 Hot Pockets with an expiration date of February 2022. The label reads “Nestlé Hot Pockets Brand Sandwiches: Premium Pepperoni Made With Pork, Chicken & Beef Pizza Garlic Buttery Crust.”
The recalled Hot Pockets were produced from Nov. 13 to Nov. 16 and shipped to stores across the country, the Food Safety and Inspection Service said.
“The quality, safety and integrity of Nestlé USA and Hot Pockets products remain our No. 1 priority,” Nestlé said. “We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this action represents to both our consumers and retail customers.”
Nestlé did not immediately respond to additional inquiries.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service said the Hot Pocket recall was considered Class 1, a high-health risk “where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.”
The service urged consumers to throw away or return the product.
Nestle acquired Chef America, which produced the top-selling Hot Pockets and Toaster Pizza snacks for the microwave, for $2.6 billion in 2002.
Marie Fazio is a general assignment reporter on the Express desk and a member of the 2020-2021 New York Times Fellowship class. @mariecfazio
