Consumers nationwide are urged to check freezers immediately after Foster Poultry Farms and Hillshire Brands voluntarily recalled millions of pounds of frozen corn dog and sausage-on-a-stick products. The recalls were issued following numerous reports of wood fragments lodged in the batter that can cause serious harm.
Recall summary
On October 4, 2025, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced that Foster Poultry Farms of Livingston, California, is recalling an estimated 3.8 million pounds of frozen chicken corn dog product due to potential contamination with wood particles in the batter. The most critical category, Class I, states a “reasonable probability” of cause, leading to serious health consequences if consumed.
This recall is a supplement to a larger September 27, 2025, recall by Hillshire Brands (a Tyson Foods subsidiary) of approximately 58 million pounds of State Fair and Jimmy Dean sausage-on-a-stick and corn dogs because of the same reason.
Affected products
Recalled products of Foster Poultry Farms were produced from July 30, 2024, through August 4, 2025, bearing establishment number “P-6137B” within the USDA mark of inspection or on the packaging. Products involve original corn dogs, gluten-free corn dogs, jumbo corn dogs, and pancake-wrapped sausage links. Retail cases were shipped to grocery stores, club stores (such as Walmart and Sam’s Club), restaurants, schools, and institutions, including Department of Defense facilities and USDA Commodity Foods programs.
Hillshire Brands recall entails items that were made from March 17 to September 26, 2025, and bear establishment numbers “EST-582” or “P-894” on packaging. They were sold through food service and retail facilities and online, including school systems and military installations.
Reason and health risks
FSIS recorded a number of consumer complaints—five were injury-related—after individuals bit into corn dogs that contained wood splinters. Ingestion or chewing of wood fragments leads to mouth laceration, dental trauma, gastrointestinal tract rupture, and infection, which may lead to serious complications if not treated.
Ingestion of wood splinters may result in internal bleeding, abdominal pain, fever, or nausea. Medical staff advise immediate medical attention to anyone who has ingested these products and is not feeling well.
Consumer advice
Consumers are strongly advised to:
- Check freezers and refrigerators for recalled sausage-on-a-stick and corn dog products.
- Check for impacted products by the establishment numbers “P-6137B,” “EST-582,” or “P-894” on the USDA mark of inspection or on a label area.
- Return or discard the products to the store where they were bought and get a full refund. Don’t cook, consume, or serve the recalled foods.
Contact Foster Farms Consumer Affairs at 1-800-338-8051 (Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. PT) or email [email protected]. To contact Hillshire Brands with questions, call Christina Self at 888-747-7611.
Report health issues to a medical professional and complain through the FSIS Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System or call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854.
Company responses and next steps
Foster Poultry Farms has not yet publicly responded other than the FSIS notice, while Hillshire Brands confirmed the recall “out of an abundance of caution” after discovering that wooden pieces might have entered their battering process at their facilities. They are both working with FSIS to finalize retail and institutional withdrawals to secure and update distribution lists online.
FSIS is monitoring consumer complaints closely and will extend the scope of recalls if additional contaminated products are discovered. Retailers and institutions are cooperating with FSIS to remove all the affected products from shelves and storage.
Broader context
Foreign object contamination, including plastic, metal, and organic matter, remains a leading cause of food recalls in America. The simultaneous timing and similar nature of these two recalls point to vulnerabilities in large-scale food production operations. Industry experts advise tightening inspection protocols and ingredient handling practices to prevent recurrence.
Consumers should be vigilant with all frozen processed food products in home and institutional freezers. Confirmation of establishment numbers and use-by dates against official FSIS recall notices is the key to preventing harm caused by contaminated products. FSIS updates regularly will be the source of the latest information on affected products and safe disposal.
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