Why Over 33,000 Pounds Of Frozen Potstickers Are Being Recalled

Science gives us good reason to look askance at processed foods, but commercial food processing is meant to — and does — prevent vast numbers of illnesses and deaths that might otherwise be caused by food unsafe for human consumption, according to the Institute of Food Technologists. Indeed, although the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 in 6 Americans deal with foodborne illness each year, with 3,000 annual deaths attributable thereto, the 47 food recalls announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) during 2021 accounted for more than 16 million pounds of meat, poultry, and processed egg products, alone, which might otherwise have reached American tables, according to the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). Of course, that's not even taking into account all the non-meat, poultry, and egg products over which the FDA has overview and had reason to recall.

The U.S. government's assessment of what is and is not safe for consumption relies on an elaborate system that has been in place for more than a century. That system relies upon routine inspections of food manufacturing plants and the foods that those plants produce, per the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A food recall may take place if an inspection reveals that the food in question is at risk of violating applicable safety regulations and standards. But every once in a while, a food is recalled because no inspection took place at all. The most recent example involves over 33,000 pounds of frozen potstickers.

Texas-based food manufacturer JYC Enterprise, Inc. had to recall approximately 33,280 pounds of frozen potsticker products, all of which were repackaged and relabeled between February 22 and October 24, 2022, and subsequently distributed to restaurants within the state of Wisconsin — all without having been subjected to routine inspection by the USDA's FSIS, according to an FSIS news release dated October 28, 2022. The recall was initiated after the FSIS discovered that these products had somehow managed to bypass federal inspection. The FSIS's announcement does not explain how nearly 33,000 pounds of potstickers could have left JYC's plant without inspection, but the issue came to be flagged by the FSIS in the course of what it refers to as its routine "verification activities."

As disconcerting as this strange entry in the annals of food safety may be, the good news is there is little chance that you, as a consumer, have any of the recalled potstickers in your possession. The reason is that the recalled potstickers were not sold in supermarkets, but rather, were distributed only to restaurants in Wisconsin. Further, there are no confirmed reports as yet of any illnesses or other health or safety issues that may have arisen out of the consumption of the uninspected potstickers. Nevertheless, you'll find out more about these products and what to do if you think you may have consumed any by reading on.

The recalled potstickers were distributed in Wisconsin restaurants starting February 22 (via FSIS). Accordingly, if you haven't consumed chicken or pork potstickers from a Wisconsin restaurant since then, you probably don't have to worry about having been exposed to any unknown contaminants or other potential safety issues. Further, it is not even known whether any such contaminants or safety issues exist. Rather, the reason for the recall was that the products managed to bypass federal inspection.

Nevertheless, it may help you to know that the recalled products were packaged as shown in the photo above, especially since the FSIS has concerns that some of the recalled potstickers may still be stored in restaurant freezers. The specific products are identified as 16-pound cases of Asian Pride Potstickers, containing 330 pieces of "CHICKEN POTSTICKER" or "PORK POTSTICKER" in eight two-pound clear plastic bags. According to the FSIS, the affected packages bear one of the following two establishment numbers inside their USDA inspection mark: "P-13186" or "Est. 13186."

You may be relieved to learn that restaurants are being urged to discard and not serve the recalled potstickers. However, if there is any chance that you may have consumed the recalled potstickers, you should refer any health concerns to your healthcare provider. If you brought any such potstickers into your home, please discard them without consuming them. Questions pertaining to this recall may be referred to JYC.