Birds Eye Foods is Voluntarily Recalling Frozen Cooked Winter Squash Due to Potential Contamination

Birds Eye Foods is voluntarily recalling frozen Cooked Winter Squash packed in a 12-oz. carton, under certain store brands (listed below), and the Birds Eye brand, which have an eight digit code beginning with one of the following characters: "5CF," "5JE" or "6JE," because some of the products were tainted with ammonia. After receiving consumer complaints -- fewer than a dozen -- about the squash, Birds Eye Foods initiated its established investigative process, including the involvement of a third party laboratory. On Friday, November 17, that independent lab confirmed a problem with one store brand product. Therefore, as a precautionary measure, Birds Eye Foods is voluntarily recalling all the squash product codes mentioned while it works closely with the appropriate agencies to resolve the issue. No other Birds Eye Foods products are involved.

"We will not take risks with our consumers," said Neil Harrison, Birds Eye Foods chairman, president and CEO. "Our primary concern is their health and welfare, and while we investigate the extent of the problem, it is in their best interest that we immediately recall the products."

The presence of ammonia may cause headache, nausea, vomiting, and irritation of the throat. Consumers are advised not to consume the product but to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

The Birds Eye brand frozen Cooked Winter Squash codes in question as well as store brand labels are distributed nationally. In total, these brand and store brand products represent approximately three million packages sold.

The Cooked Winter Squash was produced by a third party, Chase Farms, located in Walkerville, Mich., which has ceased production and distribution for Birds Eye Foods while it continues to investigate the problem. "Like Birds Eye Foods," said Michael Chase, president of Chase Farms, "we see consumer safety as the most important part of our business. We will be working diligently to determine the cause of the issue and to assure it does not happen again."

The brands and UPC codes included in the Cooked Squash recall are: Birds Eye, UPC 014500005168; Stop & Shop, UPC 688267009723; Shaw, UPC 045674504829; Price Chopper, UPC 041735303462; Lafe, UPC 023545071755; Shurfine, UPC 015400830621; Hannaford, UPC 041268111459; Flavorite, UPC 041130542541; Market Basket, UPC 049705630402; Wegmans, UPC 077890800874; Giant, UPC 688267009723; Tops, UPC 688267009723; Safeway, UPC 021130090372; IGA, UPC 041270497640; Roundy's UPC 011150548304; Remarkable, UPC 755566308618; and Dominicks, UPC 038281906285.

Consumers with questions may call: 800-807-8817.

Rochester, N.Y. based Birds Eye Foods, has sales of approximately $900 million annually and processes fruits and vegetables in 13 facilities across the country. Familiar brands in the frozen aisle include Birds Eye, Birds Eye Voila!, C&W, Freshlike and McKenzie's. Other foods marketed by Birds Eye Foods include fillings and toppings (Comstock and Wilderness); chili and chili ingredients (Nalley and Brooks); salad dressings (Bernstein's and Nalley); snacks (Tim's and Snyder of Berlin) and Birds Eye Fresh, a premium line of fresh vegetables.