Kayem Foods Recalls 1.58 Million Pounds of Hot Dogs, Bacon and Deli Meats After Cooler Failure
Kayem Foods Inc. is recalling approximately 1.58 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products after a warehouse cooler failed to hold safe temperatures, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced on Oct. 17, 2026. No illnesses have been confirmed, but the agency warns some products may still be sitting in home refrigerators — with use-by dates stretching into 2027.
What we know / What we don’t know
| What we know | What we don’t know |
|---|---|
| Kayem Foods recalled ~1,584,361 lbs of ready-to-eat meat/poultry products (FSIS recall 026-2026), announced Oct. 17, 2026 | The full list of retailers that sold the products — FSIS says retail distribution lists will be posted at fsis.usda.gov/recalls when available |
| The cause was possible temperature abuse during storage; a warehouse cooler had temperature deviations | Exactly which packages remain in stores or homes right now |
| No confirmed reports of illness are tied to the products, per FSIS | Whether any illnesses will surface later — anyone concerned should contact a healthcare provider |
| Affected products were produced approx. March 31–Oct. 7, 2026, and shipped to retail and foodservice locations nationwide and in Hong Kong | How FSIS will classify this recall beyond the Class I designation reported by news outlets |
Key facts
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Company | Kayem Foods Inc., Chelsea, Mass. |
| Volume | ~1,584,361 pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry |
| Recall number | FSIS recall 026-2026 |
| Announcement date | Oct. 17, 2026 |
| Reason | Possible temperature abuse during storage (warehouse cooler failure) |
| Establishment numbers | EST. M/P 7839, EST. P 20935A, EST. M 9520 (inside the USDA mark of inspection) |
| Production window | Approx. March 31, 2026 – Oct. 7, 2026 |
| Distribution | Retail stores and foodservice locations nationwide + Hong Kong |
| Illnesses reported | None confirmed, per FSIS |
| Consumer hotline | Kayem: 800-426-6100 / info@kayem.com; USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline: 888-674-6854 |
Background
Kayem Foods is a fourth-generation family-owned company based in Chelsea, Massachusetts, founded in 1909 and best known in New England for its hot dogs and franks — including Fenway Franks. But this recall reaches well beyond one brand or one product line. Because the company produces private-label and branded items for other labels, the affected products are sold under multiple brand names: Kayem, Al Fresco, McKenzie, Triple M, Deutschmacher, Genoa, Jordan’s, Essem and Winnisimmet St. Butchery, according to FSIS’s product-label list and reporting by USA Today and HealthDay.
Timeline: how the recall surfaced
Oct. 1, 2026 — A retail customer complained that products arrived warm at the point of delivery, according to the FSIS announcement. Kayem investigated and found the items had been stored in a warehouse cooler that experienced temperature deviations.
Oct. 17, 2026 — FSIS announced the recall publicly. The agency classified it as Class I, its highest-risk category — a designation reserved for situations where consuming the product could reasonably cause serious adverse health consequences or death, as described in coverage by HealthDay and Simply Recipes.
This week — Consumer interest is surging: “kayem hot dog and bacon recall” appeared on Google Trends’ U.S. trending list on Oct. 22, reflecting shoppers checking their refrigerators days after the announcement.
The verified details
According to the official FSIS announcement (read in full via the agency’s govdelivery bulletin), the recall covers approximately 1,584,361 pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products produced between approximately March 31, 2026, and Oct. 7, 2026. These items were stored and shipped between June 7, 2026, and Oct. 14, 2026, per Kayem’s own statement reported by multiple outlets.
The recalled products carry one of three establishment numbers inside the USDA mark of inspection: EST. M/P 7839, EST. P 20935A, or EST. M 9520. The range of items is wide: hot dogs and franks, bacon, deli ham and turkey breast, bologna, liverwurst, corned beef, brisket, kielbasa, plus Al Fresco chicken sausages, meatballs and breakfast patties.
The products went to retail and foodservice locations across the United States and to Hong Kong. One retailer has confirmed it sold affected products: Simply Recipes reports that Walmart says it sold recalled products at stores in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. FSIS has not named other specific stores, and its retail distribution lists are still pending.
Why it matters
Ready-to-eat products are the core of the risk here. Unlike raw meat, these items are often eaten straight from the package without being cooked to a temperature that would kill bacteria. Because the recalled goods carry use-by dates running into February 2027, weeks-old purchases may still be sitting in home refrigerators or freezers right now. FSIS said plainly that it “is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators.”
Kayem’s president and CEO, Matt Monkiewicz, said in a company statement quoted by multiple outlets: “Our business depends on providing consumers with safe food of the highest quality. Out of an abundance of caution, we are undertaking this voluntary recall.” He added: “We take food safety very seriously and apologize to our valued consumers. Our management team takes full responsibility. We have learned from and corrected the issue and will not allow this to happen again.”
What to do
- Check the USDA mark of inspection on any ready-to-eat Kayem, Al Fresco, McKenzie, Triple M, Deutschmacher, Genoa, Jordan’s, Essem or Winnisimmet product in your fridge or freezer. If it shows EST. M/P 7839, EST. P 20935A, or EST. M 9520, compare the UPC and lot code against the official product list on the FSIS recall page.
- Do not eat matching products. FSIS urges consumers to throw them away or return them to the place of purchase.
- Foodservice note: Because affected products also went to delis, cafeterias and restaurants, ask about the source of prepared meats if you bought deli items recently.
- Questions? Call Kayem Foods Customer Service at 800-426-6100 or email info@kayem.com. For food-safety questions, call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854 or email MPHotline@usda.gov.
Sources: USDA FSIS official recall announcement, Oct. 17, 2026, recall 026-2026; USA Today: Over 1.5 million pounds of meat recalled; Simply Recipes: Walmart states and Class I detail; FSIS recalls page for the product-label list
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By Daily Trend USA staff. Published Oct. 22, 2026. Figures and quotes verified against the FSIS announcement on Oct. 22, 2026; no corrections to the original announcement were found.
