A popular lunch meat has been recalled across the US after officials found that it could put consumers’ health at risk.
Gaiser’s European Style Provisions, based in Union, New Jersey, is recalling more than 143,000 pounds of ready-to-eat bologna products sold between March 20 and June 20, 2025.
‘The various bologna products subject to recall contain meat or poultry source materials that are not declared on the product labels,’ the recall notice stated.
These mislabeling errors raise serious concerns for people with food allergies, medical diets, or religious restrictions that limit what types of meat they can eat.
Consumers can identify the recalled items by the establishment number, ‘EST 5385’, printed on packaging that is either vacuum-sealed or plastic-wrapped.
The products include popular names like Family Tree Bologna Veal, Fancy Bologna, and Babushka’s Recipe Chicken Bologna.
Gaisers Bologna Veal, Gaisers Turkey Bologna and Chicken Bologna Kypoyka Paba are also listed.
Officials are warning consumers not to eat these products, but to throw them away or return them for a refund.
A popular lunch meat has been recalled across the US after officials found that it could put consumers’ health at risk
Other mislabeled products include ‘Gaiser’s Russian Brand Doktorskaya Bologna,’ which had undeclared beef, and ‘Gaiser’s Bologna Veal,’ which contained both chicken and pork.
The recall has been classified as a Class III, meaning it is not expected to cause widespread health problems, but it still poses a real risk to sensitive individuals, particularly those with allergies, dietary restrictions, or religious concerns.
According to the alert, the affected products were shipped nationwide to wholesalers, retailers, restaurants and delis, though specific retailers have not been named.
Babushka’s Recipe Chicken Bologna was also found to have hidden pork, while Fancy Bologna listed only pork but also contained beef and chicken.
Gaiser’s Russian Brand Doktorskaya Bologna had undeclared beef and Gaiser’s Bologna Veal contained both chicken and pork.
Gaiser’s Turkey Bologna and Chicken Bologna Kypoyka Paba were also pulled after tests showed they included undeclared pork and chicken.
Some of these items were likely sliced and packaged at the point of sale, increasing the chance that consumers unknowingly brought them home.
This is not the first time Gaiser’s has been involved in a recall.
In 2016, the company pulled back nearly 4,000 pounds of lunch meat due to similar issues, including misbranding and use of meat that had not been federally inspected.
‘Gaiser’s Turkey Bologna’ and ‘Chicken Bologna Kypoyka Paba’ were also pulled after tests showed they included undeclared pork and chicken
That earlier recall also involved undeclared allergens, a critical violation under USDA regulations.
Now, the USDA is conducting follow-up inspections to confirm that the recalled meat has been removed from stores and food establishments.
‘FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers and make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers,’ the agency said.
The recall comes as health officials issued an urgent warning over ground beef sold at Whole Foods that may be contaminated with E. coli.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a public health alert earlier this month for one-pound, vacuum-packaged packages of Organic Rancher Beef from Vermont-based NPC Processing Inc.
The contaminated packages were produced on May 22 and 23 and have use-by dates of June 19 and 20.
The US Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) did not request a formal recall because the products are no longer available for purchase. However, they may still be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers.
The meat was produced in Australia or Uruguay and processed in the US. It was then sent to distributors in Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois and Maryland and then to Whole Foods stores nationwide.
The problem was discovered when company officials notified FSIS that they had shipped beef products that tested positive for E. coli O157:H7, a type of bacteria that can cause bloody diarrhea, stomach cramps and vomiting.
It’s the same strain of E. coli linked to the McDonald’s Quarter Pounder outbreak last year, which sickened 100 people, hospitalized 34 and killed one.
E. coli may also be a culprit behind the rise of colorectal cancer in young people, research suggests, as it leads to DNA mutations in the digestive tract that raise the risk of tumors forming.
Certain strains of E. coli also produce the cancer-linked toxin colibactin.
To date, no illnesses linked to the contaminated meat have been reported, officials said. Consumers who have the product should throw it away or return it to the store.
