Kayem Recall: Check Your Hot Dogs, Bacon and Deli Meat

The Kayem recall was all over Google Trends in the US this week, and I get why. On October 17, the USDA announced that Kayem Foods is recalling about 1,584,361 pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry. That’s a lot of hot dogs, bacon and deli meat.

The cause is a cooler problem. Some products may have been stored too warm, so the recall is wide and the product list is long.

I started with the USDA notice, since most news stories copy from it. Then I went through the official product list, the TODAY and Health.com write-ups, and USDA’s pages on food temperatures and Listeria. So this post puts the useful parts in one place.

Here’s the short answer. First, look inside the USDA inspection mark on the package. If you see EST. M/P 7839, EST. P 20935A or EST. M 9520, don’t eat it. Instead, throw it away or take it back to the store.

What the Kayem recall covers, and why it happened

The trouble started on October 1, when a retail customer told Kayem that some products arrived warm. After that, Kayem found that a warehouse cooler had temperature swings. The company calls it a cooling system malfunction.

Then FSIS posted the details as recall 026-2026. Here are the facts I’d keep handy.

Detail	What FSIS and the news reports say
Announced	October 17, 2026
Amount	About 1,584,361 pounds
Reason	Possible temperature abuse during storage
Production dates	About March 31 to October 7, 2026
Best-by dates	May 2026 to February 2027 (per TODAY)
FSIS risk level	Class I, the highest tier
Illnesses	No confirmed reports so far
Where it went	Retail and foodservice locations nationwide, plus Hong Kong

The production window is longer than it looks

First, production ran for more than six months. Also, best-by dates stretch all the way into February 2027. So a package you bought in the summer could still be sitting in your freezer.

Bacon and hot dogs freeze well. For that reason, I’d check the freezer drawer too, not just the fridge shelf.

What “temperature abuse” means

However, FSIS did not name a specific germ in the notice. “Temperature abuse” just means the food sat warmer than it should have. According to USDA’s Danger Zone page, bacteria grow fastest between 40°F and 140°F. Under those conditions, they can double in as little as 20 minutes.

FSIS rates this recall Class I, which means there is a reasonable probability of serious health consequences. However, that doesn’t mean people got sick. FSIS says no illnesses have been confirmed.

How to check your fridge and freezer for the Kayem recall

A product name alone doesn’t tell you much. Kayem sells dozens of items under many brands, but only some packages are covered. Because of that, this is the order I’d go in.

Step 1: Find the EST number

First, look for the round USDA mark of inspection on the package. The establishment number sits inside it. USDA explains where to find it on its establishment number page. The recall covers three numbers:

• EST. M/P 7839
• EST. P 20935A
• EST. M 9520

If your package shows none of these, then it isn’t part of this recall.

Step 2: Match the brand

The recalled products were sold under several names. Also, this table is only a sample from the Health.com list, not the full thing.

Brand	Examples on the list
Kayem	Hot dogs, Old Tyme frankfurters, Fenway Franks, kielbasa, bologna, thick cut bacon
Al Fresco	Fully cooked chicken sausage, breakfast links and patties, chicken meatballs, turkey breast
McKenzie	Bacon, uncured ham, turkey breast, roast beef, liverwurst, franks
Triple M	Chef’s Delight Tavern Ham, ham steak, Budaball ham
Other names	Deutschmacher, Jordan’s, Essem, Winnisimmet, Genoa

Step 3: Check the UPC against the official list

Finally, this step settles it. Compare the barcode number on your package with the FSIS product list. For example, here are five items from the TODAY article:

Product	UPC	Best-by dates
Kayem Fenway Franks	003077101114	Oct. 22 and Oct. 29, 2026
Kayem Slow Smoked Applewood Thick Cut Bacon	003077101402	June 29 to Dec. 21, 2026
Al Fresco Spinach and Feta Chicken Sausage	003077102631	Aug. 13 to Dec. 13, 2026
McKenzie Black Forest Uncured Ham	003077109546	Oct. 16, 2026 to Jan. 28, 2027
Winnisimmet Slow Smoked Roasted Bacon	003077109878	June 14 to Dec. 4, 2026

Those are five items out of dozens. Still, if the label is torn or unreadable, you can call Kayem customer service at 800-426-6100 (Monday to Friday, 7:30 am to 4:00 pm Eastern) or email info@kayem.com.

What to do if your package is on the Kayem recall list

USDA’s advice is simple: don’t eat it. Instead, throw it away or return it to the store where you bought it. Here is how that plays out in a few common cases.

Your situation	What to do
Unopened pack in the fridge or freezer	Don’t eat it. Return it for a refund or throw it away.
Opened pack, some already eaten	Stop eating it and discard the rest.
Leftovers made with a recalled product	I’d toss them. That’s my call, not a line from the notice.
Not sure if it matches	Call Kayem at 800-426-6100 or the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854.

Refunds look easy at the two big chains that commented. For instance, Walmart told TODAY that customers can get a full refund at any store. Likewise, Stop & Shop said anyone who bought affected items there can return them for a full refund. Also, I’d bring the package, or a photo of the label if you’ve already thrown it out.

After you toss it, wash your hands and wipe the shelf it sat on. That’s a general kitchen habit, though, and it isn’t part of the recall notice.

Checking for recalls is a good habit in general. For example, we also covered the toothpaste recall that showed up on Google Trends this week.

Where the Kayem recall products were sold

FSIS doesn’t list specific stores. However, it says it will post retail distribution lists on its recalls page when they become available.

Meanwhile, two chains named states: Walmart and Stop & Shop.

Retailer	States named
Walmart	Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont
Stop & Shop	Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and select stores in Connecticut

Still, don’t treat those lists as the full map. FSIS says the products also went to foodservice locations and to Hong Kong, so restaurants and delis could have used them too.

What if you already ate some?

So far, no illnesses have been confirmed. Even so, FSIS says anyone worried about getting sick should contact a healthcare provider.

The notice doesn’t mention Listeria. However, USDA says on its Listeria page that the bacteria can grow in cold temperatures, even as low as 31°F. It also says hot dogs and cold cuts are among the foods it can contaminate. Usually, symptoms show up within a few hours to 3 days. Sometimes, though, they take 2 to 6 weeks, and in some cases up to 2 months.

Overall, healthy people usually get mild symptoms that last a few days. However, pregnant women, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk. If you’re in one of those groups and you ate a recalled product, I’d call your doctor and mention it. Because I’m not a doctor, your own provider has the final word.

Kayem recall FAQ

Is the Kayem recall still active?

Yes, because FSIS still listed recall 026-2026 as active when I checked on October 23, 2026.

Can I cook the product to make it safe?

No, because the notice doesn’t offer that option. Instead, FSIS urges people not to consume the products, and says to throw them away or return them.

Is it safe to buy Kayem products now?

First, Walmart says it put a sales block on the affected items at registers and online. Likewise, Stop & Shop says it removed them from shelves. Still, the real risk is the product people already bought and took home.

Where can I report a problem?

First, use USDA’s Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System, which is open 24 hours a day. Or you can call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854.