Chelsea-based Kayem Foods is recalling about 1.58 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry because the products may have been kept at unsafe temperatures during storage, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Oct. 17.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service said the affected products were produced approximately March 31 through Oct. 7, 2026. They were shipped to retail and food-service locations nationwide and in Hong Kong.

The agency lists establishment numbers EST. M/P 7839, EST. P 20935A and EST. M 9520 inside the USDA inspection mark. The company's product list covers items sold under the Kayem, Al Fresco, McKenzie, Genoa, Triple M, Deutschmacher, Jordan's, Essem and Winnisimmet brands. It identifies each item by description, package weight, UPC barcode and a range of best-before dates. Check the UPC and best-before date on the package against the list.

USDA said the problem came to light after a retail customer complained Oct. 1 that products arrived warm. According to the agency, the company investigated and found temperature deviations in a warehouse cooler.

Kayem's own Oct. 16 announcement says a cooling-system malfunction affected products stored and shipped from June 7 through Oct. 14. Those are storage and shipping dates, separate from the production dates in USDA's notice. The company says it has corrected the problem and is contacting wholesale and retail customers.

The Oct. 17 USDA notice reported no confirmed illnesses linked to the products.

Consumers who have recalled products should not eat them. USDA advises throwing them away or returning them to the place of purchase. Kayem's customer service line is 800-426-6100, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern, and its email is info@kayem.com. The USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline is 888-674-6854.

The agency classifies the recall as Class I, its category for a health hazard with a reasonable probability of serious harm. Anyone concerned about illness should contact a healthcare provider.

Sources: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service recall notice, Oct. 17; Kayem's recall statement; Company's affected-product list.