This is one type of strip show that shouldn’t have had any plastic. Yet, when a consumer tried to feast on part of an 8.9-ounce Banquet Chicken Strips Meal, guess what showed up in one of the chicken strips? A piece of plastic. In fact, that person reportedly had an oral injury to show for it. Well, such a strip show has prompted Conagra Brands, Inc, to issue a recall of approximately 245,366 pounds of this frozen chicken strip product, according to a September 2 announcement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
So, before you have a banquet or any type of feast with chicken strips, check your strips and see what they show. Check the packaging as well and look for the name “Banquet Chicken Strips Meal.” If you see such as name, scan the side of the carton for lot numbers 5009317120, 5009319220, or 5009319820 and “Best if used by” dates “DEC 11 2024,” “JAN 01 2025,” or “JAN 07 2025.” You may find an establishment number of “EST. P-9” there too. The strips subject to the recall were produced on three dates—June 20, 2023, July 11, 2023, and July 17, 2023—and shipped to retail locations around the U.S. as well as sold online.
It’s a good idea to do a scan of your freezer, too. After all, many people may not be fully aware of what may be lurking in their freezers. Putting something in your freezer can be sort of like putting something in the back of your closet, under your bed, or in your car trunk. Out of sight can be out of mind. You don’t want to be eating something that’s been recalled long after you recall that the recall even happened.
Naturally, if you find that you’ve got an 8.9-ounce Banquet Chicken Strips Meal that’s subject to the recall, don’t eat it or feed it to you in-laws. Either discard it or better yet, return it for a refund. You don’t want to elicit a “What the cluck” reaction from anyone down the road when the chicken strips cross the road.
In general, it’s not a good idea to eat plastic. That’s one of the reasons why doctors will typically advise you against munching on Tupperware, traffic cones, and tampons. Depending on its size, shape and configuration, a piece of plastic could cause damage to the tissues anywhere along your gastrointestinal tract. It could end up causing lacerations, perforations, or blockages.
However, if you have accidentally swallowed a piece of plastic, you don’t necessarily have to fret. Here’s a case where size does matter. Naturally, if you’ve swallowed an entire plastic lawn chair, the chances of it simply passing through entire digestive tract may be pretty low. However, if the piece of plastic is small enough, it is likely to just pass with your poo in a day or two. Similarly, if the plastic piece has sharp edges or anything that can hook on to surrounding tissue, it is more apt to hung up and cause damage somewhere along the way. In general, it is a good idea to contact your doctor for him or her to assess your risk and determine if any imaging or medical intervention may be necessary.