A South Dakota-based company has issued a recall of over 2.2 million pounds (approximately 998,000 kilograms) of its Korean barbecue pork jerky, a product distributed at Costco and Sam’s Club outlets, due to potential contamination with metal fragments. This alert, announced by federal health officials on Friday, has raised concerns among consumers.

LSI, Inc., located in Alpena, initiated the voluntary recall after receiving customer complaints about discovering wiry metal pieces in the jerky. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the source of the contamination has been traced back to a conveyor belt used during the production process. Fortunately, no injuries related to the issue have been reported so far.

The recall specifically targets 14.5-ounce (410-gram) and 16-ounce (450-gram) plastic pouches of the jerky, which are marketed under the name “Golden Island fire-grilled pork jerky Korean barbecue recipe.” Affected products belong to nearly four dozen batches, with best-by dates spanning from October 23, 2025, to September 23, 2026. Consumers can identify the recalled items by looking for the establishment number M279A, found within the USDA mark of inspection on the packaging.

Officials are advising consumers not to consume the recalled jerky. Instead, they should dispose of the product or return it to the place of purchase for a refund.

Instances of contamination involving foreign objects like rocks, sticks, and insects are not unheard of in food products manufactured in the United States. Food safety experts emphasize the importance of reporting any foreign materials found in food to manufacturers promptly.

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