Top Class Actions’s website and social media posts use affiliate links. If you make a purchase using such links, we may receive a commission, but it will not result in any additional charges to you. Please review our Affiliate Link Disclosure for more information.
Food product recalls overview:
- Who: Companies including J.M. Smuckers, Trader Joe’s, Urban Remedy and Safeway Fresh Foods, among others, have issued food product recalls since May.
- Why: Companies initiated the food recalls over undeclared allergens, metal fragment contamination and salmonella contamination, among other things.
- Where: Recent food product recalls have affected consumers nationwide.
Food product recalls are important for consumers to be aware of as companies primarily make them to prevent individuals from getting sick.
A business may choose to initiate a recall for a food item for a number of reasons, including a potential bacterial contamination, an undeclared allergen or a foreign object getting into the product.
Companies have recalled a variety of food products since the beginning of May, meanwhile, including peanut butter, strawberries, cheese, ice cream and ready-to-eat bacon, among other things.
Jif peanut butter recall linked to salmonella contamination
One common reason for a food product recall is when a company becomes concerned that a food item has been contaminated with salmonella.
The J. M. Smucker Co. set off a number of recalls after the company recalled some of its Jif brand peanut butter products in May over concerns they had become contaminated with salmonella.
The company initiated the recall following a multistate outbreak of salmonella infections that were linked to certain Jif peanut butter products.
Companies who used Jif brand peanut butter in their products followed Smucker’s lead by issuing recalls of their own over the potential for salmonella contamination.
Albertsons, Country Fresh, Coblentz, Mary’s Harvest and Garden Cut were among the companies who initiated recalls for products containing Jif peanut butter following the Smucker’s recall.
The salmonella outbreak, meanwhile, prompted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to open an investigation after the contamination was traced back to Jif brand peanut butter products produced at a facility in Lexington, Kentucky.
In addition to the FDA, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local partners investigated the cause of the multistate salmonella outbreak.
Metal fragment contamination leads to several product recalls
Another common reason for a food product recall is the discovery of a potential contamination from a foreign object, such as metal fragments.
Mars Wrigley recalled Skittles, Starbursts and Life Savers Gummies in May after the company discovered the products had potentially been contaminated with metal fragments.
Mars Wrigley initiated the recall and issued a warning to consumers after discovering that the products may contain what was described as a “thin metal strand.”
A potential metal contamination was also the cause of America New York Ri Wang Food Group recalling more than seven tons of luncheon loaf products and ready-to-eat sausage sticks.
The company recalled the food products after a customer reported that they found pieces of metal inside of a ready-to-eat sausage stick.
Also in May, Smithfield Packaged Meats recalled around 93 tons of its ready-to-eat bacon topping products after discovering they may have been contaminated with metal.
The potential metal contamination came to light after a customer reported that they found metal in their bacon topping.
Undeclared milk, tree nut allergens lead to product recalls
Consumers with food allergies must be vigilant when shopping for groceries, and companies are expected to do their part by properly labeling their products.
A food recall is often initiated in the event a company fails to disclose on its product that it contains a common allergen, such as milk, nuts or wheat.
Wilton Industries recalled certain lots of its Rainbow Chip Crunch Sprinkles and Rainbow Sprinkles Mix after discovering it had failed to declare that the products definitely contained milk.
While Wilton referred to the presence of milk on the packaging for its sprinkles products, it only labeled that they “could” contain milk.
The TJX Companies also issued a recall over undeclared milk last month after finding that some of its vegan chocolate products contained milk despite being labeled “Dairy Free.”
The TJX recall included vegan chocolate sold under the brand names Keats London and Pimlico Confectioners.
Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, meanwhile, issued a May recall for more than 2,100 pints of its non-dairy frozen dessert “Oat Milk Brown Sugar Chunk” after discovering they may contain traces of undeclared cashews and pistachios.
Van Leeuwen initiated the recall following a complaint from a customer who suffered an allergic reaction after consuming the product.
Hepatitis A, listeria lead to strawberry, cheese food recalls
A variety of bacterial and viral contaminations, including listeria and hepatitis A, can lead to food recalls.
Hepatitis A was the cause of several recalls last month, including one initiated for fresh, organic strawberries produced by FreshKampo and HEB.
The recall was initiated after 17 people who reported to have purchased either FreshKampo or HEB strawberries were sickened with hepatitis A infections.
The potential contamination led Urban Remedy to conduct a recall earlier this month for one batch of its Organic Revitalizing Tea Tonic Strawberry Hibiscus Rose product.
Urban Remedy initiated the recall after becoming concerned that its strawberry tea product may be contaminated with hepatitis A because it contained FreshKampo fresh, organic strawberries possibly linked to the outbreak.
Listeria contamination, meanwhile, was the cause of a Paris Brothers recall earlier this month for several of the company’s cheese products.
Paris Brothers initiated the recall after it discovered that some of its cheese products, including its name brand colby jack, mild cheddar and pepper jack flavors, may have been contaminated with listeria monocytogenes.
Undercooked chicken, fish sandwiches with bone fragments result in recalls
Trader Joe’s, Wayne Farms and Safeway Fresh Foods each issued May recalls for ready-to-eat frozen chicken products over concerns they contained undeclared allergens, were undercooked and lacked proper import re-inspection.
Gorton’s Seafood, meanwhile, recalled more than 500 packages of its frozen fish sandwiches after discovering they may contain bone fragments that are “large and sharp.”
Have you recently purchased a food product that has been recalled? Let us know in the comments!
Don’t Miss Out!
Check out our list of Class Action Lawsuits and Class Action Settlements you may qualify to join!
Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:
296 thoughts onFood recalls have affected consumers since beginning of May
add me please
Please add me