8 Major Food Recalls You Need to Know About Right Now
The FDA and CDC have warned of several product recalls this summer tied to outbreaks of foodborne illnesses. The biggest nation-wide recall between June and August was due to a major Salmonella contamination in the produce aisle, but there have also been reports of illnesses caused by Listeria, as well as several cases of undeclared allergens on products put out by major food companies like Frito-Lay.
While most of these products were removed from grocery shelves quickly, some shelf-stable items and longer-lasting produce could still be lingering in your kitchen. Read on to find out what items have been affected. (And for more on what you should or shouldn't be eating, make sure you don't miss What Happens to Your Body When You Drink a Smoothie Every Day.)
Onions and Onion-Containing Products
What started as an unknown Salmonella outbreak, spanning 15 states and making hundreds of people ill in late July and early August, eventually ended up being tied to onions. The CDC warned the public about recalls of red, yellow, white, and sweet yellow onions produced by food company Thomson International, and sold in all 50 states by retailers like Walmart, Kroger, Fred Meyer, Publix, Giant Eagle, Food Lion, and H-E-B.
Since it's nearly impossible to trace the origins of loose onions and onions sold under a variety of brand names, the CDC advises to discard any onions you still may have in your pantry, that were purchased between May and July. Related products potentially containing said onions were recalled as well—from cheese dips and salsas, to a variety of pre-packaged foods at Walmart, Kroger, etc.
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Frozen Shrimp
Salmonella was also found on frozen shrimp. Various sizes of frozen cooked, peeled, and deveined shrimp distributed by Kader Exports and sold under several brand names—Aqua Star Reserve, Censea, Fresh Market, Kirkland, Tops, Unistar, Wellsley Farms—between February and mid-May were pulled off the grocery shelves. While no cases of illness have been reported due to these products, it's advisable you double check frozen shrimp that you purchased earlier this year, to make sure you don't still have one of the recalled bags in your freezer.
Citruses and Other Wegmans Items
Supermarket chain Wegmans has recalled various products this August due to contamination with Listeria, a bacteria that can cause a serious infection. The items on the recall list were a 4-lb. bag of Valencia oranges, 2-lb. bag of lemons, bulk lemons, a variety of in-store produced seafood, and any restaurant food items that contain fresh lemon. If you've purchased any of these products at Wegmans locations in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, and Brooklyn and Harrison, NY between July 31 and Aug. 7, you should discard them.
Peaches
Peaches were another source of Salmonella infections this summer. In August, the FDA warned of a recall of peaches packed or supplied by Prima Wawona or Wawona Packing Company from June 1 through Aug. 3, as well as bagged Wawona and Wawona Organic peaches distributed and sold from June 1 through Aug. 19. The fruits were sold by retailers like Walmart, Target, and Aldi, and have caused at least 68 cases of illness. Furthermore, products containing these peaches were part of the recall, too.
Progresso Chicken Soup
The soup giant recalled thousands of pounds of its chicken soup product when it was brought to their attention that a batch of 14-oz. cans doesn't actually contain chicken soup, but instead carries an unidentified pork and beef product. Due to the accidental switcheroo at one of the brand's packaging plants, the product also contains undeclared allergens like soy and dairy. Here's how to identify the affected cans.
Lay's Potato Chips
A mixup at a Frito-Lay facility could expose customers to undeclared dairy. The brand recently had to pull 1-oz., 1 1/2-oz., 2 5/8-oz., 7 3/4-oz., 12 1/2-oz. and 15 1/2-oz. bags of Barbecue Flavored Potato Chips from circulation, after customers noticed they were filled with the wrong chips. The affected bags were sold in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
Chicken Salad
Virginia-based company Ukrop's Homestyle Foods is recalling its chicken salad, found in the refrigerated section of grocery stores across North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia. The product, packaged in 15-oz. containers, contains undeclared almonds, which could affect those with nut allergies. Read more about this recall here.
Squash Noodles
The latest case of produce recall due to Listeria comes from Giant Food Stores, a grocery chain operating more than 160 locations in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C. The grocer is recalling a house-brand squash noodle medley, a combo of noodle-fied zucchini, yellow squash, and butternut squash, due to a contamination with the bacteria. If you've purchased this product at one of their locations between Aug. 8 and Aug. 19, you're advised to discard it.
