Stop playing with Just Bare chicken: In-house tampering behind need to recall 27 tons

In-house tampering is being blamed for GNP Co. of central Minnesota recalling more than 27 tons of chicken over the weekend after contaminants were detected in some of the product that was distributed primarily to food service and institutional outlets.

Just-Bare-Chicken-1The recall involving the Gold’n Plump and Just Bare brands by the Upper Midwest’s leading chicken manufacturer follows the company disclosing the discovery of sand and black soil in the chicken. GNP is the parent of the popular Gold’n Plump brand.

“Our own inspections turned it up,” said Lexann Reischl, a GNP spokeswoman, “and two food service customers called and told us they found the same material.”

In a statement issued Sunday afternoon, the company said, “Extraneous foreign matter … is linked to an isolated product tampering incident that occurred at the company’s Cold Spring processing plant the week of June 6.”

An employee, who has since been fired, is believed to be behind the contamination, Reischl said.

Cold Spring Police Sgt. Jason Blum said Sunday “there is a known suspect” being investigated, but an arrest has not been made.

This entry was posted in E. coli and tagged , , , , , by Douglas Powell. Bookmark the permalink.

About Douglas Powell

A former professor of food safety and the publisher of barfblog.com, Powell is passionate about food, has five daughters, and is an OK goaltender in pickup hockey. Download Doug’s CV here. Dr. Douglas Powell editor, barfblog.com retired professor, food safety 3/289 Annerley Rd Annerley, Queensland 4103 dpowell29@gmail.com 61478222221 I am based in Brisbane, Australia, 15 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time