Fans of Mexican food will be disappointed to learn that a popular item has been pulled from Aldi’s shelves. Bestway Sandwiches Inc.’s frozen chicken and cheese taquito have been recalled amidst health and safety concerns.
The alert comes after one customer reportedly suffered a dental injury while consuming the product, and another claimed to have found a piece of metal in it. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on Saturday that 24,870 pounds of the product were potentially contaminated with a ‘foreign material’, specifically metal.
These products were sold at Aldi stores across the nation. The USDA’s January 11 alert read: “The problem was discovered after the firm notified FSIS that it received a consumer complaint reporting that a piece of metal was found in the frozen chicken and cheese taquito product. Another consumer reported to FSIS to have a dental injury from the product.
“There have been no additional reports of injury or illness due to consumption of this product. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.
“FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
“FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify theircustomers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers.”
According to the Daily Record, affected packets are labelled ‘CASA MAMITA CHICKEN & CHEESE TAQUITOS’, and were produced on July 3, 2024, and September 25, 2024. The product also bears establishment number ‘EST. P-40327’ on the packaging and weighs 20-oz.
Following the recall, Aldi US also said: “The affected product was sold at select ALDI stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Washington DC, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin and West Virginia.
“ALDI puts the safety and integrity of the products it sells first. If customers have products affected by this recall, they are advised to discard it immediately or return it to their local store for a full refund.
“For any customers impacted by this recall or who would like additional information, call Bestway Foods Co. at (818) 361-1800 Ext. 110 for a refund or with any questions regarding the recall. ALDI sincerely regrets the inconvenience and concern caused as a result of this recall.”
Aldi’s website suggests this is not currently an issue in the UK.