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One of the most popular frozen foods has been recalled because it’s dangerous

Published Jan 19th, 2021 11:04AM EST
hot pocket recall
Image: Nestle

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  • Hot Pockets are one of the most popular frozen foods around, and now one variety is being recalled.
  • The Hot Pockets with pepperoni and other meats are subject to a recall over fears that the sandwiches contain foreign matter.
  • The material found in the recalled Hot Pockets may be glass or hard plastic.

They may not be the healthiest option for a quick meal or snack, but Hot Pockets are still one of the more popular frozen foods in the grocery store. They come in so many different varieties that you’re bound to find a flavor you enjoy, and in a pinch, they make a decent snack that may or may not leave you with a bit of a stomach ache.

That said, one particular variety of Hot Pockets is causing more discomfort than usual, and now it’s subject to a recall issued by parent company Nestle. 12-count boxes of “Hot Pockets Brand Sandwiches: Premium Pepperoni Made With Pork, Chicken, Beef Pizza Garlic Buttery Crust” (what a mouthful) are being recalled due to the possibility that the food contains foreign matter. More specifically, customers have complained of finding hard plastic or glass in the sandwiches. Yikes.

According to the official recall bulletin, the packages were shipped all over the United States and have a shelf life of 14 months. The “Best Before” date on the boxes that are part of the recall is February 2022. Lot codes included in the recall are 0318544624, 0319544614, 0320544614, and 0321544614.

It’s clear from the statistics on the recall bulletin that this is no small problem. Roughly 762,000 pounds of the product is subject to recall, and with the product remaining viable in home freezers for months, it’s likely that there’s a lot of these Hot Pockets sitting in customers’ homes, just waiting to be eaten.

That’s a pretty serious issue, as Nestle notes in the recall bulletin that it has already received a handful of complaints from consumers that found foreign matter in the Hot Pockets. Additionally, one of those cases resulted in what is described as “minor oral injury associated with the consumption of this product.” That makes sense, as chomping down on glass or hard plastic could certainly do some damage to your mouth.

The company notes that anyone who identifies this product in their homes should either throw it away or return it to the store for a refund. Whatever the case, these hot pockets should not be eaten, even if someone has already consumed some of the product from the same package with no ill effects. Nestle also notes that anyone with a health concern related to the consumption of the recalled product should contact their healthcare provider promptly.

Nestle provides contact information for the company on the recall page, so if you have any questions about specifics, you can reach out and hopefully get an answer in short order.