62.4-oz. ALUMINUM PAN WITH PLASTIC OVERWRAP containing Recall: What To Do

ukrop homestyle recall notices went out on July 31, 2026, and this one involves metal. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced that Ukrop’s Homestyle Foods is recalling roughly 22,880 pounds of baked spaghetti and chicken cobbler products. The reason is possible contamination with foreign material, specifically metal slivers. The Richmond, Virginia establishment produced the affected items between July 1 and July 29, 2026. If you keep prepared entrées in your freezer or fridge, this guide will help you check.

What the Ukrop Homestyle Recall Covers

The ukrop homestyle recall is tracked by FSIS as recall number 012-2026. It covers approximately 22,880 pounds of ready-to-eat prepared foods. Two product formats are named in the agency record. The first is a 62.4-oz. aluminum pan with plastic overwrap containing “Ukrop’s Baked Spaghetti – Bulk.” The second is a 14.8-oz. cardboard tray with plastic overwrap.

Date codes matter here. The bulk baked spaghetti pans carry BEST BY dates from 07/08/26 through 08/05/26 printed on the label. Those labels also bear establishment number “EST. 19979” inside the USDA mark of inspection. That establishment number is the fastest way to confirm a match. For example, if your package shows a different EST number, it came from a different plant.

The production window runs from July 1, 2026, through July 29, 2026. Items made outside that window are not part of this action. However, date codes on prepared foods can be small and easy to misread. Check under bright light and use your phone camera to zoom if needed. In most cases the code sits near the barcode or along the film seam.

Ukrop’s Homestyle Foods supplies prepared meals to grocery retailers, primarily in the mid-Atlantic region. Products like these are typically sold from refrigerated grab-and-go cases rather than the frozen aisle. As a result, many buyers eat them within days of purchase. That short shelf life is exactly why the agency moved quickly on this notice.

The Hazard and Reported Injuries

The hazard in the ukrop homestyle recall is classified as product contamination. Metal slivers are the specific foreign material identified. Metal fragments in food are dangerous because you usually cannot see them. Baked spaghetti and cobbler are dense, layered dishes. A small sliver can sit inside a portion with no visible sign at all.

Swallowing a metal fragment can cause cuts to the mouth, throat, or esophagus. It can also cause dental damage if bitten down on. In more serious situations, a sharp fragment can injure the digestive tract after it is swallowed. Symptoms may include pain when swallowing, bleeding, or abdominal discomfort. Anyone who suspects an ingestion should contact a healthcare provider promptly.

FSIS assigned this action a Class I classification. That is the agency’s most serious category. Class I means there is a reasonable probability that eating the product will cause serious health consequences or death. Typically, foreign-material recalls involving hard, sharp objects land in this tier. The classification reflects the potential for harm, not a count of confirmed cases.

The agency record does not state whether any injuries have been reported in connection with this recall. We are not going to claim either way. If you want the current status, read the official FSIS notice linked on this page. That notice is updated as the agency learns more.

What To Do If You Own This Product

Stop eating the product first. Do not try to inspect a portion and eat the rest. Metal slivers are small and can hide inside a baked casserole. Separate the package from other food so nobody in the household grabs it by mistake. A note taped to the lid works well in a shared fridge.

Next, confirm whether your package is actually covered. Look for the product name, the net weight, and the BEST BY date. Then find “EST. 19979” inside the USDA mark of inspection. Photograph the full label, including the date code, before you do anything else. That photo is useful later if questions come up about what you had.

For the remedy, follow the instructions in the official FSIS notice linked on this page. Recall notices spell out exactly what consumers should do with the product and who to contact at the company. We are not going to summarize those steps here, because the instructions need to come from the agency and the firm directly. Retailers who carried the item can also confirm store-level handling.

Keep a short written record either way. Note where you bought it, the purchase date, and the amount you paid. If anyone in your home felt ill or was injured, seek medical care and keep the records. In most cases these details are simple to gather at the time and impossible to reconstruct months later.

Does a Ukrop Homestyle Recall Mean You Can Sue?

No. A recall is not a lawsuit. A ukrop homestyle recall is a food safety action taken by a company, usually with agency oversight, to pull a product from the market. It is a corrective step, not a finding of legal fault. It is also not an admission of liability by the company.

A legal claim generally requires more than a recall notice. In most cases you need an actual injury or documented loss. You also need causation, meaning evidence linking the recalled product to that specific harm. For a foreign-material case, that usually means medical records, the product itself if you still have it, and proof of purchase. Without those pieces, a recall alone does not establish a claim.

If you believe you were hurt, talk to a licensed attorney in your state. Deadlines called statutes of limitations apply, and they vary by state and claim type. An attorney can review your facts and tell you whether anything is there. You may be eligible to pursue a claim, depending on the facts. Nobody can promise compensation, and this guide does not.

How Recalls Connect to Mass Tort Cases

Recalls and mass torts are separate things that sometimes intersect. A recall notice creates a documented record: what the defect was, when it was found, how many units shipped, and what the company knew. Plaintiffs’ lawyers later use that record as evidence. As a result, a recall can become an important exhibit even though it is not itself a claim.

History shows how this plays out. Takata airbag inflators were recalled across tens of millions of vehicles, and that recall record fed years of injury litigation and consolidated proceedings. Philips recalled certain CPAP and ventilator devices in 2021 over foam degradation, and that recall preceded a large multidistrict litigation. However, most recalls never lead to mass litigation at all. A single foreign-material recall like this one typically ends with product removal and nothing more.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my package is part of this recall?

Check the product name, net weight, BEST BY date, and the establishment number “EST. 19979” in the USDA mark of inspection. The covered bulk spaghetti pans show BEST BY dates from 07/08/26 through 08/05/26. Items produced outside July 1 through July 29, 2026 are not included.

Has anyone been injured by these products?

The agency record does not state whether injuries have been reported, so we are not going to say either way. The official FSIS notice linked on this page is the place to check for current status. Anyone who thinks they swallowed a metal fragment should contact a healthcare provider.

Does this Class I ukrop homestyle recall mean the food is definitely dangerous?

Class I is the most serious FSIS category and means there is a reasonable probability of serious health consequences. It describes the potential risk from the hazard, not a confirmed rate of harm. Typically, only some units in a recalled lot are actually affected, but you cannot tell which ones by looking.

Were You Injured by a Recalled Product?

A recall by itself is a safety action, not a legal claim. However, if a recalled product caused a real injury, you may be eligible to pursue compensation. A licensed attorney can review your situation at no upfront cost — most work on contingency, meaning you pay nothing unless you recover.

Official Sources & Resources

Verify every recall against the issuing agency before acting:

• USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service: official recall database — the record of truth for this notice
• CPSC: cpsc.gov — household goods, toys, furniture, appliances
• FDA: fda.gov — food, drugs, and medical devices
• NHTSA: nhtsa.gov — vehicles, tires, and child car seats
• USDA FSIS: fsis.usda.gov — meat, poultry, and egg products

Content last reviewed August 2026. This is general educational information, not legal advice. If you notice outdated information, please contact us.

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Attorney Advertising. The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. A product recall is a safety action by a manufacturer or regulator and does not by itself establish liability or create a legal claim. No attorney-client relationship is created by accessing or using this content. Every case is unique. If you believe you were harmed by a recalled product, consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.