An investigation is taking place at a Wayne Farms poultry processing plant in Laurel, Mississippi, after foreign material was found in one of the lines.
The discovery of the foreign material was made on March 3, according to a statement from the company. Production was temporarily stopped when the material was found.
“It was the beginning of second shift, all product was put on hold for further investigation,” Wayne Farms said in a statement. “Wayne Farms is working in collaboration with the USDA, and can make no further comment until the investigation is complete.”
While the investigation continues, production at the plant has resumed. A company spokesperson said food safety was never compromised, according to a report by Food Safety News.
Wayne Farms in February announced that it would discontinue the deboning lines at the plant in Laurel – a change that would result in the loss of about 500 jobs. The change is expected to be finalized by June.
Wayne Farms is the sixth largest broiler company in the United States, according to WATT PoultryUSA’s Top Poultry Companies Rankings. The company in 2015 produced 47.68 million pounds of ready-to-cook chicken on a weekly basis. Wayne Farms is a subsidiary of Continental Grain Company.
