The Biggest Recalls In Chicken Nugget History

Without a doubt, chicken nuggets are one of America's most beloved processed foods. Research suggests that in 2023, for example, around 30% of people in the U.S. said they ate chicken nuggets at least once a month, while more than 10% admitted to eating them once a week. Some prefer to order their chicken nuggets from fast food chains, like McDonald's and Burger King, while others prefer the convenience of store-bought frozen options. But either way, for many, chicken nuggets are a staple. For roughly 5% of Americans, chicken nuggets are an everyday treat. This appetite for nuggets is expected to help propel the U.S. frozen chicken market to a value of $6 billion by 2030.

However, despite how popular they are, chicken nuggets aren't perfect. They're not the healthiest option, for starters, as they can be high in saturated fat and sodium. And on top of this, they, like many food products, are at risk of containing contaminants, like metal wire, hard plastic, bones, and rubber. Sometimes, they contain undeclared allergens, like milk, or harmful foodborne bacteria, like staphylococcal enterotoxin, too.

But don't worry, if you're concerned about the safety of chicken nuggets, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), which is run by the United States Department of Agriculture, often quickly announces recalls if any issues arise. Below, you'll find some of the biggest recalls in chicken nugget history, many of which affected major chicken suppliers like Perdue Foods and Tyson Foods.

In 2024, Perdue Foods — one of the leading chicken producers in the U.S. — was forced to recall more than 167,000 pounds of frozen chicken nuggets and tenders after customers complained that they had found pieces of metal wire embedded into the product. At the time of the recall announcement, the products had already been shipped to retailers nationwide.

Luckily, there were no reported injuries associated with the recall. However, the risk was high enough for the FSIS to issue a Class I recall, which means that there was a reasonable chance that by eating the contaminated chicken products, consumers could have come to serious harm or even died. This is because hidden pieces of metal could lead to cuts in the mouth or the digestive system, which could get infected. Anyone who had already purchased the products was urged by the FSIS to either throw them away or return them to the store where they bought them.

This is not the first time that foreign objects have found their way into Perdue Foods' chicken products. In 2022, the FSIS issued a public health alert after one customer found blue dye and a small piece of plastic in their frozen tenders. The tenders were not actually recalled because by the time the company became aware of the issue, the products were no longer on store shelves.

Perdue Foods isn't the only chicken producer to recall nuggets over foreign object contamination concerns. In 2020, Pilgrim's Pride, which is part of the multinational corporation Pilgrim's Global, recalled nearly 60,000 pounds of chicken nuggets after one consumer claimed they found pieces of rubber in the product. If consumed, it could present a choking hazard.

Again, nobody was injured as a result of the contamination. But the FSIS instructed anyone with the nuggets in their freezers not to consume them. At the time of the recall, the nuggets had been sent to retailers in Idaho, Oregon, Texas, and Arizona. This particular recall was listed as Class II, which means that there is a chance that there could be an injury related to the product, but it is not as serious as Class I.

It's rare, but not unusual, for rubber to find its way into food products. This is because, like plastic, rubber is used in a number of elements throughout the food production process, including in protective clothing and equipment. Pilgrim's Pride isn't the only company to have had to recall products due to potential rubber contamination. In 2024, for example, Salm Partners, LLC recalled more than 35,000 pounds of sausages after five customers found pieces of rubber in their food. In 2023, one TikToker also claimed they found a rubber band in a pint of their Ben & Jerry's ice cream.

Metal isn't the only contaminant that has been found in frozen chicken products from Perdue Foods. Before the metal wire incident of 2024, customers complained that they had found pieces of bone material in their food. This resulted in a recall of more than 31,700 pounds of product, which had already been shipped to multiple stores across the U.S.

Chicken products, including nuggets, patties, strips, and tenders, are, of course, made with chicken. But alongside the chicken breast, they can also contain other pieces of the animal, like tendons, nervous tissue, connective tissue, fat, and yes, even bones. However, when they are not ground into the nugget, bone shards can present a health hazard. They can cut the throat or the intestine, for example, and potentially cause someone to choke. Luckily, there were no reports of any injuries associated with the Perdue Foods recall, which was also listed as Class II. Again, consumers were urged not to eat the products if they had them in the freezer.

Like Perdue Foods, a number of brands have been forced to recall products due to the presence of bone fragments. In January 2024, for example, Aldi recalled more than 130,000 pounds of turkey kielbasa from stores in 35 states over fears they contained bone fragments. In this instance, one customer sustained a minor injury in their mouth after consuming the product.

Like Pilgrim's Pride, in 2019, Tyson Foods was forced to recall more than 36,400 pounds of chicken nuggets after consumers complained that they had found pieces of rubber in the product. At the time of the recall, the nuggets had already been shipped to retailers across the U.S. Again, the company was lucky that nobody reported any serious injuries as a result of the rubber contamination, which is a major choking hazard.

Tyson Foods is one of the biggest meat producers in the U.S., worth more than $20 billion. But this doesn't make it immune from recalls. As well as the rubber incident, the meat giant has had to issue many recalls. In 2019, for example, it recalled more than 11 million pounds of frozen chicken strips amid fears they were contaminated with metal. And in 2021, it recalled more than 8 million pounds of chicken products due to fears they were contaminated with listeria bacteria. In 2019, it also had to recall more than 190,700 pounds of chicken fritters that had been sent to schools for children's lunches amid concerns they contained hard plastic.

The recalls don't end there. In 2012, Tyson Foods recalled around 70,500 pounds of canned chicken because it didn't actually contain chicken, it contained beef. In 2015, it also recalled more than 52,400 pounds of hot wings after customers said they smelled weird.

Undeclared allergens are another major cause of food recalls across the U.S. These are particularly dangerous, as when a person consumes an allergen without realizing, they can go into anaphylactic shock, which can be deadly. Anaphylaxis is rare, but it does happen. Roughly 500 people die from the severe allergic reaction every year in the U.S. However, milder reactions are more common. These are still unpleasant, and can include symptoms like hives, stomach cramps, wheezing, and swelling.

This is why, in 2019, Perdue Foods had to act quickly when it was informed by a retailer that one of its products had been incorrectly labeled. The error meant that the chicken nuggets it had sent to stores across 14 states did not declare milk on the label. Milk is one of the most common allergens in the U.S., and affects nearly 2% of the population. As a result of the mislabeling, Perdue Foods recalled more than 16,000 pounds of chicken nuggets from stores. Luckily, there were no reports of allergic reactions associated with the mix-up.

Undeclared milk, specifically, has led to a number of recalls in the past. In 2022, for example, Canadian coffee company Two Bears recalled oat milk products after testing revealed they contained undeclared traces of cow's milk. In the same year, Walmart recalled Easter chocolate kits that failed to disclose milk as an allergen.

Again in 2019, Perdue Foods had to recall more than 68,200 pounds of chicken nuggets. This time, it wasn't due to undeclared milk, bones, or metal, but wood. Three customers found pieces of wood in their products from Perdue Farms, which like metal and rubber, is a choking hazard. It could also cause internal or oral injuries, which could get infected. Like other contaminants, wood can get into the food supply through the manufacturing process. The material is used in things like pallets and boxes, for example. Due to the threat of injury, this recall was listed as the highest class, Class I.

Multiple companies have had to issue recalls due to wood contamination. In 2023, global confectionery company Nestlé had to recall cookie dough bars after several customers complained that they had found wood chips inside the product. In the same year, nuggets from the plant-based meat brand Impossible Foods were recalled from The Fresh Market grocery stores due to wood contamination.

Wood has also been behind several international recalls. In Canada, in 2024, the government issued a recall for Haribo Tangfastics gummy candies, after they had already been shipped to stores in multiple regions, over fears they were contaminated with wood. In the U.K., Midget Gem candies from the retail chain Spar were also recalled from stores in 2017 due to concerns they contained small pieces of wood.

In 2017, Canadian supermarket Maxi Canada recalled more than 4.2 million pounds of chicken breast products, including nuggets, because, as with the 2019 Perdue Foods recall, they contained milk that was not declared on the label. This time, the issue was brought to light by one of the company's breading suppliers, which informed Maxi Canada that the coating used on its nuggets, fritters, and patties might contain milk. At the time, the products had already been shipped to stores across the U.S. Again, luckily, there were no reported allergic reactions associated with the recall, which was listed under FSIS' most severe warning, Class I.

Undeclared allergens are a major cause of food recalls in the U.S. In fact, research suggests that in 2023, around half of all food recalls in the country were due to undeclared allergens. Many were due to sesame, but other undeclared allergens included milk, of course, as well as eggs, wheat, and soy.

In 2023, Texas Pete recalled more than 50,000 bottles of Buffalo Wing Sauce due to undeclared soy, for example. In the same year, Whole Foods Market also recalled some salad kits due to both undeclared egg and undeclared milk allergens. And also in 2023, around 7,000 bags of Nacho Cheese Doritos were recalled as they contained wheat and soy that had not been declared on the packaging.

Three years before it recalled its chicken nuggets for rubber contamination, meat giant Tyson Foods had to recall more than 132,500 pounds of chicken nuggets due to concerns they were contaminated with hard plastic. The issue was brought to light by consumers after they had been shipped to stores across the U.S. This recall was marked as a Class I recall by the FSIS.

There are many reasons why pieces of plastic end up in food products. It can be due to tools used in the manufacturing process, for example, or a piece of broken equipment. If eaten, these pieces of plastic can cause serious internal injuries, and may even require surgery to remove. In this particular case, the plastic was likely linked to hard plastic rots from a transfer belt in the food processing factory.

Metal detectors are often used to find foreign objects in food before they are shipped to retail stores, but they are not always effective. In 2022, for example, Costco recalled 148,000 pounds of frozen chicken breast patties from stores in five states over fears they could be contaminated with pieces of hard, clear plastic. In 2018, Johnsonville also recalled more than 109,000 pounds of sausages after three customers found pieces of hard green plastic in the products.

Another recall related to stray plastic occurred in 2016. Back then, Foster Poultry Farms recalled more than 220,450 pounds of chicken nuggets, sold under the brand name Foster Farms, after multiple consumers complained that, as well as black rubber, they found pieces of blue plastic in the product.

At the time of the recall, the nuggets had already been shipped to distributors in Alaska, Arizona, California, Utah, and Washington. In this instance, there were no injuries associated with the contamination. Anyone who had purchased the nuggets was urged by the FSIS not to consume them, and instead, throw them away or return them to the store.

This isn't the only recall associated with the company. In 2023, more than 77,000 pounds of Foster Farms chicken corn dogs were recalled as they displayed signs of spoilage, including an unpleasant smell and taste. In 2014, the company also recalled more than 1 million pounds of raw chicken over fears the products were contaminated with salmonella, a dangerous foodborne bacteria that can lead to a type of food poisoning called salmonellosis. The contamination was linked with an outbreak of illnesses in 29 states and Puerto Rico.

Not all recalls are linked to foreign objects in food. In fact, one of the most common causes of recalls in the U.S. is linked to harmful foodborne bacteria, like staphylococcal enterotoxin. If consumed, this bacteria can lead to food poisoning and symptoms like fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, and muscle pains. Most people will recover from staphylococcal enterotoxin poisoning without treatment, but for some vulnerable individuals, including the very young and the elderly, it can be fatal.

This is why, in 2015, Murry's, Inc had to recall more than 20,200 pounds of chicken nuggets. After routine testing, the Colorado Department of Agriculture informed the Pennsylvania-based company that it had found traces of staphylococcal enterotoxin in its products. Unlike other types of foodborne bacteria, this particular contaminant cannot be killed through high-heat cooking. Luckily, there were no reports of illness associated with the recall.

In 2017, staphylococcal enterotoxin also caused German Sausage Haus, a Washington brand, to recall more than 1,200 pounds of frozen meat products. Staphylococcal enterotoxin isn't alone. Other types of bacteria that have led to major recalls in the past include listeria, salmonella, and E. coli. In 2024, bacteria led to a number of recalls. Multiple Quaker Oats products were recalled from 50 states, for example, due to fears they contained salmonella.