Taco Bell voluntarily recalled about 2.3 million pounds of seasoned beef from its restaurants and distribution centers, the company announced Tuesday. The move took place October 11. As of noon October 14, 100 percent of the affected restaurants in 21 states across the eastern Midwest, northern Southeast, and Northeast regions said the affected product was removed and discarded.
The issue surfaced when a customer reported they found a metal shaving in their menu item, Taco Bell said in a release. The company partnered with its vendor to shut down the supply chain, remove the item from restaurants and distribution centers, and notify the USDA.
“Nothing is more important than our customers’ safety, and nothing means more to us than their trust,” said Julie Masino, president of North America, Taco Bell Corp., in a statement. “As soon as we received the first consumer complaint, we immediately acted to remove the product from the affected restaurants and proactively worked with the supplier to inform the USDA of our steps to protect our guests.”
Taco Bell said the product was produced at one plant location on only one of the two lines used to make seasoned beef. It was then sent to distribution centers in Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and Virginia.
“There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider,” the USDA said in a statement.
The states where Taco Bell removed food include: Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
The products were sold from September 20 to October 4, per the USDA.