Food recalls
Food recalls in October 2020
The FDA listed 27 food recalls in its October 2020 Enforcement Reports, 21 fewer than in September 2020 (48) and 34 fewer than in October 2019 (61). 12 were Class I, the most serious kind. The most common reason was Salmonella (9).
Food recalls
27
Reports through October 28, 2020
Class I, the most serious
12
Could cause serious harm or death
September 2020
48
61 in October 2019
Every food recall in October 2020
Newest first, by the date of the weekly FDA Enforcement Report that first listed it. FDA's own words are in quotes.
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Class I (most serious)
Salmonella. “Direct customer tested organic parsley upon receipt and received a confirmed positive result for Salmonella.”
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Class I (most serious)
Homestead Creamery, Inc. (Wirtz, VA): All Natural Chocolate Pecan ice cream (2 products)
Allergen not on the label. “Undeclared Pecans”
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Class I (most serious)
Red Monkey Foods Inc (Springfield, MO): Dried Parsley packaged in the following ways (2 products)
Salmonella. “An ingredient (parsley) which was repacked into consumer packages and used to manufacture other herb blends tested positive for Salmonella and was recalled by the supplier.”
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Class I (most serious)
Salmonella. “Potential Salmonella contamination.”
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Class I (most serious)
Wismettac Asian Foods, INC (Santa Fe Springs, CA): Shirakiku brand Black Fungus (Kikurage)
Salmonella. “California Department of Public Health sampled and tested Shirakiku brand Black Fungus and found it contain Salmonella ssp. serogroup B.”
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Class II
Ariola Foods Corp. (Farmingdale, NY): Frozen raw Lobster Tail pastry 100 count
Allergen not on the label. “Lobster tail pastry contains undeclared wheat, FD&C Red #40, and FD&C Yellow #5 food dyes.”
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Class II
Bumble Bee Foods, LLC (Santa Fe Springs, CA): Solid White Albacore Tuna in Water
Other germs or toxins (botulism, hepatitis A, mold...). “During labeling, swollen cans of tuna were found. Two UPC codes for product distributed to one customer did not show signs of swelling but was produced on the same shift as cans that did.”
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Class II
Desert Premium Group, LLC (Albuquerque, NM): Trader Joe's Hatch Valley Salsa
Other germs or toxins (botulism, hepatitis A, mold...). “One batch of salsa had a recorded equilibrium pH of 6.65.”
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Class II
Taylor Farms Tennessee, Inc. (Smyrna, TN): Marketside brand Cranberry Walnut Salad in 4.5 oz
Allergen not on the label. “Undeclared wheat and walnuts on the ingredient statement.”
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Class I (most serious)
Listeria. “Potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes”
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Class I (most serious)
Newly Weds Foods Inc (Chicago, IL): Newly Weds Foods G44384 Cinnamon Snack Seasoning X1 (2 products)
Salmonella. “potentially contaminated with Salmonella”
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Class I (most serious)
Salmonella. “Product may be contaminated with Salmonella.”
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Class II
Metal, plastic, glass or other objects. “Product was recalled due to small pieces of plastic or rubber material.”
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Class II
Labeling, packaging or manufacturing problems. “Products are labeled gluten-free. A batch of flour from the raw material supplier tested positive for gluten so the firm immediately initiated a recall of the affected products.”
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Class II
Other ingredient not on the label (sulfites, dyes...). “The firm is recalling two lots of Yellowfin Tuna Loins after been notified that four persons became ill after consuming the product. Symptoms included rash, stomach cramps, and diarrhea, among others.”
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Class I (most serious)
Advanced Spice & Trading, Inc. (Dallas, TX): Ground Cinnamon 2% (CASSIA) packaged in 50 pound bag
Salmonella. “Potential to be contaminated with Salmonella”
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Class I (most serious)
Kalustyan Corp. (Union, NJ): Ground cinnamon
Salmonella. “Possible Salmonella contamination in cinnamon”
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Class I (most serious)
Tim Campbell Farm LLC (Imlay City, MI): Tim Campbell Farm flat parsley in wooden crate
Listeria. “product tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes”
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Class II
Hormel Foods Corporation (Austin, MN): SKIPPY Super Chunk Peanut Butter 16.3oz UPC
Other germs or toxins (botulism, hepatitis A, mold...). “Aflatoxin level slightly above actionable limit”
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Class II
Labeling, packaging or manufacturing problems. “Routine NY Agriculture and Markets inspection found pasteurization temperature was not recorded for two lots of cheese due to pasteurizer recorder chart malfunction.”
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Class II
Allergen not on the label. “Undeclared soy (whole edamame beans)”
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Class I (most serious)
Spokane Produce, Inc. (Spokane, WA): Item 83976 Pico De Gallo Salsa Mild, Refrigerated (71 products)
Salmonella. “Salmonella Newport. Product contains onion supplied from Thomson International, Inc.”
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Class II
Dianne's Fine Desserts (Newburyport, MA): Devonshire Bake Shop brand Lemon Italian Cream Cake
Allergen not on the label. “Product contains undeclared peanuts.”
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Class II
Metal, plastic, glass or other objects. “Foreign material, pieces of glass may be in the product”
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Class II
Hale And Hearty Soups, LLC (Brooklyn, NY): WILD MUSHROOM BARLEY soup
Metal, plastic, glass or other objects. “Product may contain pieces of maggots.”
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Class II
Allergen not on the label. “The firm was informed by their supplier than an ingredient in the cookie portion of their ice cream sandwiches contain the undeclared major food allergen soy (soy lecithin)”
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Class II
Shearer'S Snacks (Massillon, OH): Good & Gather Organic Kettle Corn
Metal, plastic, glass or other objects. “Possible risk of glass fragments.”
Why food was recalled in October 2020
Chartly groups FDA's written reasons by their key words; each recall counts once, under its first matching reason.
| Reason | Recalls |
|---|---|
| Salmonella | 9 |
| Allergen not on the label | 6 |
| Metal, plastic, glass or other objects | 4 |
| Other germs or toxins (botulism, hepatitis A, mold...) | 3 |
| Labeling, packaging or manufacturing problems | 2 |
| Listeria | 2 |
| Other ingredient not on the label (sulfites, dyes...) | 1 |
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Source and notes
U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Enforcement Reports (openFDA food recall data) (Public domain (U.S. government work); source U.S. Food and Drug Administration, openFDA), data as of October 28, 2020.
Each week the FDA lists the recalls it has classified in its Enforcement Report, often weeks after the company announced the recall, so a month with five weekly reports tends to count more. Each recall counts once, however many products it covers, in the month FDA first listed it. Class I means the food could cause serious harm or death, Class II temporary or minor harm, and Class III is unlikely to harm anyone. Meat, poultry and most egg products are recalled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, not the FDA, and aren't included. For what to do with a recalled product, see the FDA's recalls page.