Over 1.5 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products have been recalled throughout the United States since a customer reported receiving unusually warm products earlier this month. But a closer look at the official timeline brings another question to mind: How long did it take for the problem to become public?

According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Kayem Foods received the complaint on October 1, while the company announced its voluntary recall on October 16, followed by a federal notice the next day. That equates to a period of 15 days between the complaint's report and the company's public announcement.

The authorities have not disclosed the time when the refrigeration problem was determined. The recall includes approximately 1,584,361 pounds of fully cooked meat and poultry products from March 31 until October.

The products were sold in supermarkets, restaurants, and other food services across the country, including Hong Kong. A problem with the storage warehouse cooling system caused the storage temperature to vary and could have led to the growth of harmful bacteria.

No illnesses have been confirmed, but the USDA has classified the recall as Class I, their highest risk category. Consumers should also be aware that looking for Kayem alone might not be sufficient.

There were several different brands of affected products, which can help identify these packages. The USDA says recalled items carry specific establishment numbers.

Consumers should check the brand, product description, UPC, and lot numbers against the official recall list. All persons holding an affected product are urged not to consume it, even if the product looks normal.

Kayem Foods says it has corrected the refrigeration problem and is contacting retailers directly. Federal food safety inspectors are continuing to monitor the situation to ensure public health and safety across all distribution channels.

Retailers and food service operators are advised to check their inventories immediately and remove any suspected items from their shelves. Further updates will be provided by the food safety authorities as the investigation progresses.