The Sempio chicken stew recall covers roughly 4,596 pounds of ready-to-eat “Sempio Korean Ginseng CHICKEN STEW CLASSIC” and “CHICKEN STEW RICH” pouches, recalled because the product was imported from South Korea without the FSIS import reinspection required for meat and poultry entering the United States. No illnesses have been reported. The affected pouches were shipped to eight states and should not be eaten.
What FSIS Announced
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced that Sempio Food Services Inc., of Cerritos, California, is recalling approximately 4,596 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken stew products. FSIS said the products were imported from the Republic of Korea without the benefit of the import reinspection that FSIS requires before foreign meat and poultry products can enter U.S. commerce. FSIS said it discovered the problem during routine import surveillance activities.
- “Sempio Korean Ginseng CHICKEN STEW CLASSIC” — 31.75-oz. (900g) pouches
- “Sempio Korean Ginseng CHICKEN STEW RICH” — 31.75-oz. (900g) pouches
The recalled pouches carry a production date of March 30, 2026, a best-by date of September 29, 2027, and the shipping mark MK-2026-0422-01. The products were produced under the establishment number GIA15001 and were shipped to distributors in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
FSIS said there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions from eating the products. The agency’s concern with products imported without required reinspection is that, because they bypass the U.S. entry checks meant to verify the product meets FSIS’s food safety and labeling requirements, FSIS “has less assurance of the products’ safety.” Anyone who has these products should not eat them; they should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
Consumers with questions about the recall can contact Sempio Food Services Inc. FSIS also recommends the standard advice for any recalled meat or poultry product: check freezers and refrigerators for the exact product name, package size, and shipping mark listed above before deciding to keep or discard it.
This recall follows a similar pattern seen in an earlier FSIS action against imported ready-to-eat pork guanciale, where imported meat products drew agency scrutiny after entering U.S. distribution.
Is This Common?
Recalls over missing import reinspection are less common than recalls for contamination like Listeria or Salmonella, but they are not rare. FSIS requires that all meat, poultry, and processed egg products entering the U.S. pass a reinspection at the port of entry before they can be sold. When that step is skipped or missed, whether due to a paperwork gap, a mislabeled shipment, or another breakdown in the import chain, FSIS can recall the product even without any evidence that it is unsafe, because the required safety check itself was never completed.
Should I throw out this product?
Yes. FSIS says consumers who have the recalled “Sempio Korean Ginseng CHICKEN STEW CLASSIC” or “CHICKEN STEW RICH” pouches with production date March 30, 2026, and shipping mark MK-2026-0422-01 should not eat them, and should throw them away or return them to the place of purchase.
Has anyone gotten sick?
No. FSIS reported no confirmed reports of adverse reactions or illness linked to these products as of the announcement.
How do I know if my product is affected?
Check the package for the exact product names “Sempio Korean Ginseng CHICKEN STEW CLASSIC” or “CHICKEN STEW RICH” in 31.75-oz. (900g) pouches, the shipping mark MK-2026-0422-01, and establishment number GIA15001. Products were distributed to Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
Sources
Update Log
- September 26, 2026: Initial report based on FSIS’s recall announcement.
