Kraft Foods Group, Inc. has initiated a voluntary recall of 96,000 pounds of hot dogs that were distributed under the brand name Oscar Mayer Classic Wieners. The move was announced after officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) were informed that the product was mislabeled.
The packages withdrawn from shelves include individual 16 oz. consumer packages labeled as "Classic Cheese Dogs Made with Turkey & Chicken, Pork Added," and cases of 16 oz. packages called "Classic Cheese Dogs Made with Turkey & Chicken, Pork Added, and Pasteurized Cheese Product."
In a statement, the FSIS explained that the packages may have contained cheese dogs, but the labels do not reflect the fact that they contain milk. The labels fail to inform consumers of the ingredients associated with the pasteurized cheese in the product, the agency said. Milk is a strong allergen and, as such, has to be explicitly stated as an ingredient on the label. So far, no adverse reactions associated with the Oscar Mayer Classic Wieners have been reported to the FSIS or to the company, the statement pointed out.
Kraft was informed of the problem on April 18 by a consumer who bought the product and, in turn, the company notified regulators. The voluntary recall was also announced on the company's Facebook page, citing possible mislabeling as the reason for starting it. The products were manufactured in March and were distributed across the United States.
