USDA Recalls More Than 9,700 Pounds of Ready-to-Eat Chicken Products

The product could pose a threat of ‘serious, adverse health consequences or death,’ according to the agency.

An image of the 16.37 oz. plastic package of Snack Mania Coxinhas Brazilian Stuffed Bites Original Chicken recalled by the FSIS. USDA

New Jersey-based Snack Mania Brazilian Delights Corp. is withdrawing roughly 9,722 pounds of ready-to-eat frozen chicken coxinhas products from the market as the items were manufactured “without the benefit of federal inspection,” the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said in a May 20 statement.

The recall applies to 16.37 oz. plastic packages of “Snack Mania Coxinhas Brazilian Stuffed Bites Original Chicken” produced between June 27, 2024, and May 2, 2025.

The items were shipped to retail outlets across eight states: Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.

The FSIS, an agency under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is tasked with ensuring that the United States’ commercial supply of poultry, meat, eggs, and certain fish is safe.

Regarding the current recall, the issue of a lack of federal inspection was “discovered during routine FSIS surveillance activities when FSIS determined that the chicken coxinhas products did not have the USDA mark of inspection and were produced in a facility that was not inspected by USDA,” according to the FSIS.

The product withdrawal has been classified as a “Class I-High” recall, the highest of the three USDA recall classifications.

Such a classification is only issued in a “health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death,” according to the USDA.

FSIS said it was concerned some of the items may still be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers and advised people to throw away the products or return them to the place of purchase.

The agency clarified that there have been “no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products, and said that “anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a health care provider.”

Individuals who have questions about the recall can contact Snack Mania at 908-875-1324.

The Epoch Times reached out to Snack Mania for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.

In March, FSIS issued a public health alert for ready-to-eat white chicken chili imported from Canada as it was not inspected by authorities. The agency did not issue a recall in this case since the product was no longer available for purchase in the market.

In December, Maryland-based Impero Foods & Meats recalled roughly 7,485 pounds of raw pork sausage products citing a similar inspection issue.

Food Safety Enforcement

A Feb. 3 report from the Government Accountability Office raised concerns about federal agencies such as the FSIS and the Food and Drug Administration failing to meet foodborne illness reduction targets.

The agency had aimed to reduce the proportion of poultry samples containing salmonella bacteria by 4 percent. However, samples with salmonella ended up increasing by 22 percent, the report said.

FSIS said it faced challenges in meeting its goals and that the agency planned to finalize a rule regarding salmonella contamination in raw poultry products “as soon as possible.”

Once the rule is finalized, the measure will help prevent certain contaminated products from entering the market, officials said.

However, the USDA announced last month that it was withdrawing the proposed rule after reviewing more than 7,000 public comments on the issue.

“While FSIS continues to support the goal of reducing Salmonella illnesses associated with poultry products, the Agency believes that the comments have raised several important issues that warrant further consideration,” FSIS said in a withdrawal notice.

The National Chicken Council, an industry trade group, welcomed the withdrawal of the rule.

Ashley Peterson, the council’s senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs, said the framework for the rule was based on “misinterpretations of the science” and that it would likely have “no meaningful impact on public health.”

Meanwhile, the USDA issued food safety guidelines on May 13 ahead of the summer season when people hold cookouts.

The agency advised people to clean their grills, prevent cross-contamination between various food items, and cook food at safe temperatures.

“Food safety is a year-round priority, but it’s especially important during summer months when we’re cooking outdoors and handling food in warmer temperatures,” said FSIS Administrator Denise Eblen.