USDA alert: Pork product sold at Aldi may contain metal. Check your freezer for these carnitas right now

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a health alert for a pre-cooked, frozen pork carnitas product sold at Aldi grocery stores that “may be contaminated with foreign material, specifically pieces of metal.”

Cargill Meat Solutions manufactures the product for Aldi exclusively, so it was only sold at Aldi stores. According to the USDA, the product was shipped to Aldi stores nationwide, so the alert applies to all U.S. locations.

Here’s what you need to know.

What’s happened?

To be clear, the USDA’s Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert, not a recall, “because this product is no longer available for sale in commerce.”

The problem was discovered during routine maintenance when Cargill found equipment damage may have contaminated the carnitas product with metal pieces.

There have been no confirmed reports of injury due to consumption of these products. (Anyone concerned about an injury should contact a healthcare provider.)

How do I know if I bought the affected pork product?

The fully cooked, sleeved tray packages were produced from April 1 to 2, 2025. The health alert applies to products with the following details:

• Name: Pork Carnitas Seasoned & Seared Pork with Juices Slow Cooked with Citrus
• Size: 16-oz tray
• Use-by dates: June 30, 2025 or July 1, 2025
• Establishment number: 46049

What should I do if I bought the pork product?

Consumers who have purchased the affected products should thrown them away or return them to Aldi.

Although this product is no longer available for sale, FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers.

Consumers can contact Cargill’s Consumer Hotline at 844-419-1574 with any questions. Those with food safety questions can contact the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline by calling the toll-free number 888-674-6854, or via email here.

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