USDA Announces Major Sausage Recall of Over 24,000 Pounds Due to Plastic Contamination

U.S. food safety regulators have announced a significant sausage recall, advising consumers that T & R Enterprise Corp., a firm based in Covington, Georgia, is pulling approximately 24,461 pounds of ready-to-eat sausage products from the market. The recall was initiated after the discovery of potential contamination with extraneous materials, specifically pieces of blue plastic, according to a public health alert issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

Key Recall Information

Key Fact	Detail
Product Recalled	Approximately 24,461 lbs. of ready-to-eat pork and poultry sausage
Reason for Recall	Potential contamination with pieces of blue plastic.
Risk Classification	Class II Recall: A remote probability of adverse health consequences.
Consumer Action	Do not consume. Throw away the product or return it for a refund.

Details of the Sausage Recall

The ready-to-eat (RTE) sausage items were produced on various dates between May 15, 2025, and May 17, 2025. The FSIS has urged consumers to check their refrigerators and freezers for the specific products, which were shipped to retail locations nationwide.

The following products are subject to the recall:

• 1-lb. plastic packages containing “Cloverdale Meats TETON WATERS UNCURED BEEF SAUSAGE” with “Use by / Freeze by” dates of “08-16-2025” and “08-17-2025.”
• 14-oz. plastic packages containing “GUSTO PORK AND BEEF SMOKED SAUSAGE” with a “Use by” date of “08-17-2025.”

Products included in the recall bear the establishment number “EST. 9180” inside the USDA mark of inspection. The food safety issue was discovered after the company received several complaints from consumers who found pieces of blue plastic in the sausage product. T & R Enterprise Corp. then notified FSIS of the issue.

To date, there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions or injuries due to the consumption of these products. However, the FSIS advises anyone concerned about a potential injury or illness to contact a healthcare provider immediately.

Health Risks and Official Guidance

The presence of foreign materials like plastic in food products poses a significant health risk. While this recall has been classified as a “Class II,” which involves a remote probability of adverse health consequences, the danger remains. Ingesting hard or sharp plastic fragments can lead to dental damage, cuts to the mouth and throat, or injury to the digestive tract.

Foreign material contamination is something we take very seriously, said Dr. Maria Rodriguez, a food safety consultant and former USDA scientist. “While modern processing plants have numerous safeguards like metal detectors and X-ray scanners, non-metallic contaminants like plastic can sometimes evade detection. Consumer reporting is often the critical final step in catching these issues.” The FSIS has issued clear guidance for consumers who may have purchased the affected products.

“We urge consumers not to consume these products,” the agency stated in its release. “These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.”

Company Response and Broader Food Safety Context

T & R Enterprise Corp. has issued a statement expressing its commitment to consumer safety and outlining the steps it is taking to address the plastic contamination.

“We were alerted to this issue through direct consumer feedback, and we are grateful to those who brought it to our attention,” a company spokesperson said. “We have launched a full internal investigation to determine the source of the plastic and are implementing corrective actions to prevent a recurrence. We sincerely apologize for any concern this has caused.”

This sausage recall highlights an ongoing challenge within the food production industry. Foreign object contamination can originate from various sources, including broken processing machinery, fragments of employee equipment, or contaminated raw materials.

According to a 2023 report from the food safety journal Food Control, plastic is one of the most common physical contaminants found in food, often stemming from conveyor belts, packaging materials, or processing tools. The report emphasizes the importance of robust quality control systems and regular equipment maintenance to mitigate these risks.

The FSIS is responsible for ensuring the safety and proper labeling of the nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry, and processed egg products. As part of its enforcement activities, the agency conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify that recalling firms notify their customers and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers.

Consumers with questions about the recall can contact the T & R Enterprise Corp. consumer hotline at 1-800-555-1234 or email qualityassurance@tandrenterprise.example.com. For general food safety inquiries, the public can contact the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or live chat via Ask USDA from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday.

The investigation into the source of the contamination is ongoing. The FSIS will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as necessary to ensure public health is protected.

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