WASHINGTON, January 28, 2004 – Hormel Foods Corporation, a Stockton, Calif., firm is voluntarily recalling approximately 104,000 pounds of canned chili with meat that may contain plastic and other material from a calculator, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.

The products subject to recall are 15 oz. cans of "STAGG CHILI, STEAK HOUSE RESERVE, CHILI WITH BEANS, Hearty Beef with a Kick of Green Chilies." The cans were sold six to a case.

The cans and cases bear one of the following date codes "S112434," "S112435," or "S112436." In addition, the cases and cans bear the establishment number "Est. 199C" inside the USDA mark of inspection.

The chili was produced on Nov. 24, 2003 and distributed to retail stores in Arizona, California, Colorado, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah and Wisconsin.

The recall was initiated after the company reported to FSIS that it had received consumer complaints, but no reports of injury. Anyone concerned about an injury from consumption of the products should contact a physician.

Media with questions about the recall may contact Julie Craven, company director of communications, at 507-437-5455. Consumers with questions about the recall may contact Rochelle Kroc, company director of consumer affairs, at 800-611-9778.

Consumers with food safety questions can phone the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline. The hotline is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.

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