Black Beans Recalled After Pen Found in Product

Hy-Vee, based in Des Moines, Iowa, has recently recalled several varieties of black beans due to a pen being found in one of the cans by a customer. The anonymous consumer opened the can of beans to find parts of an ink pen inside of the food, which could obviously cause a choking hazard, as well as other contamination issues.

The black beans are canned at the Fairbault, Minnesota facility, where parts of the pen were accidentally inserted into the food. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that the affected cans have the following printed on them, “Best By 04 APR 2019 258F2 095 16 XXXX”

Affected cans have been sold in Hy-Vee stores in Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin and are reported to have hit shelves between April 22 and July 18 of 2016. [1]

The following products are affected by the recall:

• Hyvee No-Salt-Added Black Beans
• La Preferida Low Sodium Black Beans (Frijoles Negros Bajo En Sodio)
• Our Family No-Salt-Added Black Beans
• Sprouts No-Salt-Added Black Beans
• Mrs. Grimes No-Salt-Added Black Beans
• Kuner’s No-Salt-Added Black Beans (Frijoles Negros)
• HEB Black No-Salt-Added Beans (Frijol Negro Sin Sal)

Currently, no one has been reported ill or injured from the contamination and no other customers have found bits of pens in their beans. Fairbault Foods, Inc., who manufactures the beans, have assured the public that this recall is a precaution.

If you are in possession of one of the recalled products, you are advised to throw it away or go to the Hy-Vee where it was purchased for a refund or replacement product. You can also call 1-800-772-4098, Hy-Vee’s customer service line, with any questions on the recall. The line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

At this time, Fairbault Foods, Inc. is classifying it as an isolated incident and does not believe any injury or illness will result from it.

Hy-Vee is an employee owned grocery store with more than 240 locations across eight Midwestern states. They turn over a profit of $9.3 billion annually and rank as one of the top 25 supermarket chains in the United States. [2]

Sources:

[1] Des Moines Register

[2] FDA