SSHAM lovers across Hawaii are checking their pantries today, after the company announced a massive recall. Wednesday night SSHAM recalled over 100,000 pounds of their new Iron SSHAM product over concerns of contamination. Dozens have been injured by metal bits found inside the new canned meat product. This is not the first time that the company has faced a massive recall. Last Summer, the company was forced to recall over 500,000 cans of SSHAM, SSHAM Less, and SSHAM Extra Spicy, after it was discovered that the Pilua Shrimp Farm, a local supplier, had numerous health and safety violations.
Company officials say that the recall is limited to Iron SSHAM found across the islands only, and all other SSHAM products are completely safe. The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Services (FSIS) says that anyone with a 12-oz. can containing “Iron SSHAM” with a “Best By” June 2076 date and production codes: SS90981, SS90982, SS90983, SS90984, SS90985, SS90986, SS90987, SS90988 and SS90989, should throw them away, return them to the place of purchase, or take them to one of the many inspection stations SSHAM has set up in metropolitan areas.
With many worrying that soil depletion and Veilcorp’s solar 127 production is leading to massive nutritional deficits in crops, the supplement business is booming. Many food companies are riding that wave by fortifying their products with vitamins and minerals, including SSHAM. A company spokesperson says, “That was the idea behind Iron SSHAM. With the Hawaiian population aging, we found many islanders were worried about getting enough iron in their diet. Obviously mistakes were made. We’re working hard to prevent any further harm to our customers, and following up with everyone who was injured so far.”
A FSIS interview with one Lahaina resident unlucky enough to eat from a contaminated can reads in part, “I eat at least a couple of cans of SSHAM every week and was very excited that the company was offering a version fortified with iron as I suffer from anemia. Everyone has their favorite method of cooking it, but I prefer the creamy texture boiling a can provides. I knew something was different almost right away. Instead of melting smoothly in my mouth, the texture of Iron SSHAM was extra crunchy and a bit sharp. I bit down on something hard as I was chewing, and spit out a bunch of blood and a tiny piece of metal. I immediately took the can out of the garbage and read the label, but I didn’t see anything about chunks of metal in the ingredients, so I knew something was wrong.”
Dozens of others have had a similar experience, with hospitals and medical centers reporting numerous mouth injuries from those eating the product. SSHAM CEO and inventor Art Pua’a says that he is doing everything he can to ensure the safety of the public, and has started a unique safety campaign to reassure SSHAM customers.
In a statement released this morning he says,
“We take pride in being a Maui based company. We like to think of ourselves as a trusted neighbor, and we care deeply about every one of our customers. Up until this point, we have always made and packaged our product in our Lahaina facility ourselves, but in the rush to get this particular item on the shelves, we turned to a third party manufacturer. We trusted them to follow our strict quality and safety guidelines while we retrofitted our production line to accommodate the iron fortifying process. Unfortunately, it turns out enriching a product with iron was much harder than we expected, and our manufacturing partner had a fundamental misunderstanding of what it means to fortify something with iron… Working with the FSIS, we are doing everything we can to remove the cans contaminated with pieces of iron, have set up inspection stations in several areas, and are providing anyone who calls our 800 number a magnetic wand to pass over their SSHAM. By running the magnet over every slice, our customers can feel secure in knowing that their SSHAM is just as safe and delicious as it always is. If you find a slice that sticks to the magnet please do not eat it, and call us right away…By initiating this recall, and providing these numerous safety precautions, we hope to reassure our loyal customers so they can continue to make SSHAM the most loved canned meat product in the world.”
Lahaina residents wishing to have their SSHAM screened for safety can do so at Ano Lee’s maker commune, the area’s official inspection station. Mr. Lee says that the screening process is quick, and the station is open daily until 8 pm. Ano has found over 30 contaminated cans in less than 24 hours, but says that he doesn’t think people need to be overly concerned. “Look, I know better than most that mistakes happen. We haven’t found any metal bits in other types of SSHAM, just the iron formula. If you’re worried about it, just come down and we’ll scan your cans and run the big electromagnet over it. Believe me, if there’s any bits of metal stuck in there, they’ll come flying out. It’s actually kind of cool to watch, but if you have had any broken bones that required screws or plates, you should probably stand at least 50 feet away from the screening station. While you’re waiting to see if your food is riddled with iron shards, feel free to check out our Tchotchke Hut. If it’s made of plastic or glows in the dark, chances are you’ll find it inside. Best of all, if your SSHAM turns out to be contaminated with sharp bits of metal, we’ll dispose of it for you and give you 10% off anything in the store. I guarantee nothing in there will cut your mouth.”
