(The Associated Press) — A significant recall has been issued by a South Dakota company for over 2.2 million pounds (approximately 998,000 kilograms) of Korean barbecue pork jerky. The recall affects products distributed at Costco and Sam’s Club locations, following concerns that the jerky might contain metal fragments, as reported by federal health authorities on Friday.

The company behind the recall, LSI, Inc., based in Alpena, initiated this voluntary action after receiving complaints from customers who discovered pieces of wiry metal in the jerky. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the source of the contamination was identified as a conveyor belt used during the production process. Fortunately, no injuries linked to this issue have been confirmed so far.

The products affected by this recall are packaged in 14.5-ounce (410-gram) and 16-ounce (450-gram) plastic bags and are sold under the label “Golden Island fire-grilled pork jerky Korean barbecue recipe.” The recall encompasses about four dozen lots of the jerky, all of which have a shelf life extending between October 23, 2025, and September 23, 2026. Consumers can identify the recalled packages by looking for the establishment number M279A inside the USDA inspection mark.

Consumers are advised to avoid eating the recalled jerky. Instead, they should either discard the product or return it to the place of purchase to receive a refund.

Experts in food safety highlight that contamination incidents involving foreign objects such as rocks, sticks, and insects occasionally occur in food manufactured in the United States. They urge consumers who encounter any foreign materials in their food to report the findings to the respective manufacturers.

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