Conagra Brands Recalls Over 245,000 Pounds Of Chicken Strips Entrees Due To Plastic

Consumers who have purchased a portion of Banquet brand Chicken Strips Meal at some point this summer may want to check the lot numbers on their boxes. Conagra Brands — the massive food corporation that manages household name brands like Chef Boyardee and Orville Redenbacher's — has issued a major recall of 245,366 pounds of the frozen chicken TV dinner product. According to the FSIS announcement, the Chicken Strips Meals may be contaminated with pieces of plastic. Conagra was notified of the possible contamination after receiving a complaint from a consumer who had sustained a mouth injury from a piece of plastic discovered in the microwaveable TV dinner.

So far, no other injuries or health issues have been reported, but consumers are being urged to check any recent or past purchases of Banquet Chicken Strips Meal within their freezer. There are three batches of the product being recalled: Produced on June 20, July 11, and July 17 of this year respectively, the affected boxes are marked with the best-by dates of December 11, 2024, as well as January 1 and 7, 2025. Additionally, the lot numbers 5009317120, 5009319220, and 5009319820, as well as the establishment number "EST. P-9" are printed on the sides of the cartons.

Unfortunately, neither FSIS nor Conagra has released any information on the specifics of the plastic contaminants or how they found their way into the frozen dinners. Considering that the inciting piece was big and intrusive enough to cause oral injury, it's safe to assume these aren't the unfortunately regular microplastic content in processed foods, but the result of some kind of manufacturing or packaging error. 

While it may not sound as deadly as some other kinds of product contamination, rigid and/or sharp extraneous materials in food still present a very major and hazardous health risk. They can cause oral injuries, including cuts on or around the lip, dental damage, and lacerations on the inside of the mouth. Pieces of plastic also present a very real choking hazard as well as the possibility of injury to internal organs.

As the contaminated Banquet Chicken Strips Meals were distributed nationwide, it's important to check any you have in your house and immediately throw out or return them to the point of purchase. Unfortunately, Conagra has not offered any guarantee or information regarding any kind of refund but can contact the company at (800) 921-7404 or consumer.care@conagra.com.