You're sure to recognize the brand names involved—here's why these kid-friendly eats are being pulled from store shelves and schools alike.
In a massive nationwide recall, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced over the weekend that more than 58 million pounds of corn dogs and sausage on a stick products are unsafe to eat due to “pieces of wood embedded in the batter.” The items—produced by The Hillshire Brands Company, a Texas firm owned by the meat processing giant Tyson Foods—were discovered to contain pieces of wood embedded in the batter, resulting in at least five injuries.
According to details published on September 27, the affected corn dogs and sausage products “were sold online and shipped to retail and food service locations nationwide,” noting that school districts and Department of Defense facilities may have also received the products. However, the FSIS notes that their presence at schools would be the result of “commercial sales” and not as a result of the National School Lunch Program provided by the USDA.
Two major brands were directly implicated in the recall: Jimmy Dean and State Fair. Tyson’s website also lists the company’s large portfolio of other recognizable brands, which include Hillshire Farm, Ball Park, Sara Lee, Aidells, and others. Their products are sold ubiquitously at some of the nation’s top grocery retailers—many retailers, including Walmart , Target, Wegmans, and Kroger, have posted additional details on their websites regarding the current recall.
In total, 18 of the recalled products were branded as State Fair, eight as Jimmy Dean, and one product was unbranded for food service use. The items bear the establishment number “EST-582” or “P-894” printed on the packaging, and were packaged between March 17, 2025, and September 26, 2025. A full list of affected products, along with their package sizes and “Use By/Sell By” dates, is available on the FSIS site. Tyson Foods also posted a notice online, stating the issue is “isolated” while providing full product details as well.
Multiple consumer complaints sparked the investigation and triggered the recall after the company “determined that the wooden sticks entered the production process prior to product battering,” says the FSIS. The incident has been labeled a “Class I” risk level, which the agency defines as “a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.”
According to Harvard Health Publishing, ingesting foreign objects like the pieces of wood discovered in the recalled items is of particular concern for young children, though older children and adults can be affected, too. Sharp objects can lead to complications such as tears in the esophagus, infection, or tearing of intestinal walls, writes their experts.
Consumers are urged to check their refrigerators and freezers for the recalled products. If you have any on hand, the FSIS says to throw them away or return to the original place of purchase.
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