• A New York-based food company (Smith Packing, LLC) recalled nearly 19,000 pounds of ready-to-eat sausages and sliced meats due to dangerously high sodium nitrite levels.
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture (FSIS) announced the recall on April 29, 2025, affecting products distributed to retailers and institutions in New York, including brands like As-Salaam Beef Breakfast Sausage and Honest John’s Bratwurst.
• Excessive sodium nitrite can cause methemoglobinemia (oxygen deprivation) – with symptoms ranging from headaches to death – and is also linked to colon, stomach and thyroid cancers.
• The FSIS classified this as the most severe recall level, indicating a “reasonable probability” of serious harm or death, though no confirmed illnesses have been reported yet.
• This incident follows another recent recall (Trader Joe’s salad with undeclared allergens), raising questions about regulatory oversight, corporate accountability and the risks of chemical preservatives in processed foods.

A New York-based food processing company has issued a massive recall of nearly 19,000 pounds of ready-to-eat sausages, sliced meats and poultry products after tests revealed dangerously high levels of sodium nitrite – a preservative linked to severe health risks, including cancer and oxygen deprivation.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture‘s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced the recall on April 29, 2025, affecting products distributed to retail and institutional locations across New York. The recall underscores ongoing concerns about food safety oversight and the potential health hazards posed by excessive chemical additives in processed meats.

The recalled products were manufactured by Utica, New York-based Smith Packing, LLC between Feb. 19 and April 24, 2025. Products marked for recall include:

• As-Salaam Beef Breakfast Sausage
• Smith Packing Beef Knockwurst
• Honest John’s Bratwurst
• Beefland USA Regular Beef Sausage

The issue came to light after consumers reported off-tasting and discolored products, prompting an internal investigation that revealed sodium nitrite levels exceeding federal safety limits. While no illnesses have been confirmed, the FSIS has classified the recall as Class I – the most severe category – indicating a “reasonable probability” of serious health consequences or death. (Related: Dangerous levels of sodium nitrite force recall of nearly 19,000 pounds of meat products.)

Smith Packing’s recall shows the dark side of processed meats

Sodium nitrite is commonly used in processed meats to extend shelf life and maintain color. But excessive consumption of this food preservative can lead to methemoglobinemia, a condition where red blood cells lose the ability to transport oxygen. Symptoms range from headaches and nausea to respiratory failure and death.

Long-term consumption of sodium nitrite has also been linked to cancers of the colon, stomach and thyroid. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a daily sodium nitrite intake of no more than 3.7 milligrams per kilogram of body weight – roughly 0.25 grams for a 150-pound adult.

The recall follows another recent food safety scare involving Trader Joe’s Sesame Miso Salad with Salmon, which was pulled from shelves in 18 states due to undeclared dairy allergens. These incidents highlight persistent gaps in food safety protocols, raising questions about regulatory response times and corporate accountability.

A spokesperson for Palmer Foods, the primary distributor of Smith Packing’s products, stated that 90 percent of the affected meat never left the warehouse. However, approximately 34 customers received potentially contaminated items, they added.

As federal officials urge consumers to discard or return the recalled products, the case serves as a stark reminder of the need for vigilance in food production and oversight. With processed meats already under scrutiny for their health risks, this latest recall may fuel further debate over industry practices and the long-term consequences of chemical preservatives in the food supply.

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This video is from the Natural News channel on Brighteon.com.

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Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

FSIS.USDA.gov

Newsweek.com

Brighteon.com