Consumer complaints about pieces of glass or plastic in Boston Market brand dinners have prompted the recall more than 86 tons of the frozen meals from retailers nationwide and from a Department of Defense facility in Arizona.

Federal officials are urging consumers to check their homes for the not-ready-to-eat boneless pork rib “shaped patty” meals with mashed potatoes. Bellisio Foods of Jackson, OH, distributed the frozen dinners, according to a recall notice posted by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

The recalled Boston Market microwave dinners have best-by dates ranging from December this year to mid-February 2020. 

As of the posting of the recall, specific a list of retailers that received the affected boneless pork rib dinners was not yet available. he recall notice does not indicate whether the DOD facility in Tucson, AZ distributed the implicated dinners to other locations.

“FSIS is concerned that some product may be frozen and in consumers’ freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase,” according to the recall notice.

Bellisio Foods reported to FSIS that the 173,376 pounds of recalled Boston Market dinners were produced on various dates between Dec. 7, 2018, and Feb. 15 this year. All of the recalled frozen dinners have the USDA establishment number “EST. 18297” printed on the end of the individual dinner boxes.

The 14-ounce dinners are packaged in black cardboard boxes and marked as “BOSTON MARKET Home Style Meals BonELESS PORK RIB SHAPED PATTY WITH BBQ SAUCE & MASHED POTATOES.” 

Consumers should look for the following dates and lot codes to determine whether they have any of the recalled frozen dinners on hand:  

• “BEST BY” date of 12/07/2019 with the lot code 8341; 
• “BEST BY” date of 01/04/2020 with the lot code 9004;
• “BEST BY” date of 01/24/2020 with the lot code 9024; or 
• “BEST BY” date of 02/15/2020 with the lot code 9046.

“FSIS was notified on Feb. 22, 2019, (about the problem),” according to the recall notice. “There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions or injuries due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.”