SUBJECT: RECALL: COMMODITY FROZEN COOKED DICED CHICKEN

This memo is from the Maine Department of Education, Child Nutrition Services Office. Please take immediate action.

COMMODITY FROZEN COOKED DICED CHICKEN RECALL

On Monday, April 21, 2003, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) announced an administrative recall of all commodity frozen cooked diced chicken due to complaints of bone fragments and some injuries to consumers in the National School Lunch Program.

The recall affects all frozen cooked diced chicken from all vendors. Please place the commodity diced chicken on hold until a determination can be made as to the final disposition of this product. This determination should be made within the next 10 days.

The USDA needs to know how much of this product you have on hold at your facility. Please

e-mail this information to: anne.littlefield@maine.gov Please provide your name and the full name of the school.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter

If you have any questions, please call the Child Nutrition Services Office at 624-6842.

********Please see below for further information provided by the USDA.********

Frozen Diced Chicken Recall

Talking Points

Frozen diced chicken supplied to the National School Lunch Program has generated some complaints and been responsible for a few injuries due to bone fragments in the product. In response to this public health concern, FNS announced on April 21^st that it will conduct an administrative recall of this product currently in state warehouses and school storage facilities and not offer the product to schools until the industry can manufacture an acceptable product.

This product is not being recalled by the manufacturer, but is being recalled by the FNS administration as a precautionary measure.

Complaints about bone in frozen diced chicken prompted the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) in 2002 to reduce the allowable bone size from ¾ inch to ½ inch. In spite of this more stringent specification, the number of complaints remained consistent throughout school year 2002 to the present in 2003.

Approximately 13 million pounds were purchased for schools this year and it is estimated that some 4 million pounds are still in distribution. An additional 1.2 million pounds are on order, but will not be shipped by AMS.

State distributing agencies and industry representatives were notified that frozen diced chicken would not be offered to schools for the up-coming 2004 school year until an improved product can be manufactured and supplied.

Frozen diced chicken is a very popular item on school menus and is used to make items such as soups, chicken quesadillas and fajitas, oriental chicken, chicken salad, chicken and gravy, chicken pot pies, salad bars, casseroles, and soft tacos, to name a few.

Food and Nutrition Service Announces Administrative Recall of Frozen Diced Chicken in the National School Lunch Program

Contact: Jean Daniel (703) 305-2286

WASHINGTON, April 21, 2003—As a precautionary measure, USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service is conducting an administrative Class II recall of this product currently in state warehouses and school storage facilities. The presence of bone fragments prompted USDA to issue improved specifications for the product in 2002. Despite the more stringent specifications, additional complaints have prompted the administrative recall of the product.

Approximately 13 million pounds were purchased for schools this year and it is estimated that some 4 million pounds are still in distribution. State distributing agencies and industry representatives were notified that frozen diced chicken would not be offered to schools for the up-coming 2004 school year until an improved product can be manufactured and supplied.

USDA RECALL CLASSIFICATIONS

Class I This is a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.

Class II This is a health hazard situation where there is a remote probability of adverse health consequences from the use of the product.

Class III This is a situation where the use of the product will not cause adverse health consequences.