Food recalls
Food recalls in September 2020
The FDA listed 48 food recalls in its September 2020 Enforcement Reports, 15 more than in August 2020 (33) and 10 more than in September 2019 (38). 22 were Class I, the most serious kind. The most common reason was allergen not on the label (18).
Food recalls
48
Reports through September 30, 2020
Class I, the most serious
22
Could cause serious harm or death
August 2020
33
38 in September 2019
Every food recall in September 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)
Allergen not on the label. “May contain undeclared milk”
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Class I (most serious)
Renaissance Food Group LLC (Houston, TX): Trader Joe's Southwest Style Sweet Potato Saut Bowl NET WT
Allergen not on the label. “Potential to contain undeclared eggs and milk”
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Class I (most serious)
Toufayan Bakery, Inc. (Ridgefield, NJ): Goodie Girl, Gluten Free Magical Animal Crackers
Allergen not on the label. “Gluten free product was mixed with wheat containing product. Undeclared Wheat.”
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Class II
Cedar's Mediterranean Foods, Inc. (Ward Hill, MA): Cedar's Cucumber Garlic Dill Tzatziki
Other ingredient not on the label (sulfites, dyes...). “Product contains undeclared Food Starch, Gelatin and Natamycin.”
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Class II
Freshouse Produce (Salisbury, NC): Wegmans Valencia Oranges (4 products)
Listeria. “The firm received positive Environmental sampling results for Listeria monocytogenes.”
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Class II
Gilster-Mary Lee Corp. (Chester, IL): Microwave popcorn packaged in the following ways (5 products)
Metal, plastic, glass or other objects. “Popcorn ingredient was recalled due to foreign matter: tempered glass between 3 mm and 7 mm in size”
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Class I (most serious)
Lancaster Foods LLC (Jessup, MD): Red Onions, Bulk
Salmonella. “Lancaster Foods LLC, 7700 Conowingo Avenue, Jessup, MD 20794 is initiating a recall of products that may have been made with the 500 pounds (bulk) of red onions out of a lot of 12,000 pounds (bulk) that were under the recalled Thomson International lots because of potential presence of salmonella...”
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Class I (most serious)
Salmonella. “Peach Salsa was made with peaches may be contaminated with Salmonella.”
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Class I (most serious)
Salmonella. “Trace back information in an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis shows peaches from Wawona as likely source of contamination.”
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Class I (most serious)
Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. (Rochester, NY): Wegmans Vanilla Trifle (11 products)
Salmonella. “Products contain raw peaches that may be contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis.”
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Class II
Salmonella. “Onions included various meal kits delivered the week of July 27, 2020 may be contaminated with Salmonella.”
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Class II
COOLHAUS (Culver City, CA): Coolhaus Awesome Ice Cream -That Dough Though Ice Cream Sandwich
Allergen not on the label. “Package label does not declare soy lecithin.”
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Class II
Labeling, packaging or manufacturing problems. “The recall was initiated after it was discovered that the Ancient Grain Jackfruit Bowl containing anchovies was distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of fish.”
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Class II
Allergen not on the label. “Potential to contain undeclared peanuts”
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Class III (least serious)
Herr Foods Inc (Nottingham, PA): Herr s GameDay Tailgate Tacos Flavored Potato Chips 6.5 oz
Other ingredient not on the label (sulfites, dyes...). “Undeclared black bean powder, jalapeno pepper powder, paprika, extract of paprika and disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate.”
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Class I (most serious)
Salmonella. “Onions included various meal kits may be contaminated with Salmonella.”
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Class I (most serious)
Treehouse Foods (Oak Brook, IL): Signature Select Chewy Granola Bars, Chocolate Chip, Family Pack
Allergen not on the label. “Product may contain undeclared peanut butter.”
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Class I (most serious)
Allergen not on the label. “undeclared soy (soy milk) allergen”
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Class II
Allergen not on the label. “The product contains undeclared milk.”
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Class II
Hometown Food Company (Chicago, IL): Arrowhead Mills Organic Yellow Popcorn
Metal, plastic, glass or other objects. “Potential for foreign material (glass) in finished product.”
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Class II
Ingredients Solutions Inc. (Waldo, ME): MBF-202 Carrageenan
Other ingredient not on the label (sulfites, dyes...). “On August 28, 2020, the firm's customer discovered colored fibers up to 1/4 " in length after sifting a lot of finished carrageenan intended for use as an ingredient in a finished food product. The fibers were identified by the recalling firm as 'tie tie' a fibrous rope used for seaweed...”
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Class II
Kader Exports Pvt. Ltd. (Mumbai, India): Cooked, Peeled and Deveined, Tail-on, Shrimp
Salmonella. “Frozen cooked shrimp is possibly contaminated with Salmonella.”
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Class II
Allergen not on the label. “Undeclared allergens (Soy and Anchovies)”
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Class II
Metal, plastic, glass or other objects. “A foreign object found by a consumer in a chocolate bar.”
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Class II
Preferred Popcorn (Chapman, NE): Organic Yellow Popcorn packaged in the following ways
Metal, plastic, glass or other objects. “Popcorn may contain foreign material: tempered glass between 3 mm and 7 mm in size”
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Class II
Allergen not on the label. “Undeclared allergen; wheat and undeclared sesame.”
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Class II
The Superior Nut Company, Inc. (Cambridge, MA): SOUTHERN GROVE
Other ingredient not on the label (sulfites, dyes...). “Product contains undeclared brazil nuts.”
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Class I (most serious)
Frito-Lay, Inc. (Plano, TX): Ruffles Original Potato Chips NET WT 1 1/2 oz
Allergen not on the label. “May contain undeclared milk”
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Class I (most serious)
Giant Eagle (Pittsburgh, PA): MD Salad Bar- Cucumber Tomato Salad (54 products)
Salmonella. “Potential contamination with Salmonella Newport in onions and prepared foods containing onions.”
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Class I (most serious)
Allergen not on the label. “Undeclared egg.”
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Class I (most serious)
Spokane Produce, Inc. (Spokane, WA): Saddlin' Up Salsa Verde (4 products)
Salmonella. “Salsa products are recalled due to a potential contamination with Salmonella Newport. Onions were supplied from Thomson International, Inc”
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Class I (most serious)
Salmonella. “Potential for contamination by Salmonella”
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Class I (most serious)
Salmonella. “Charlies Produce peeled onions products are recalled due to a potential contamination with Salmonella Newport. Onions were supplied from Thomson International, Inc”
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Class I (most serious)
Allergen not on the label. “Undeclared lysozyme (from egg whites)”
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Class II
Labeling, packaging or manufacturing problems. “Roast ground coffee packed in Newman s Own Organics special decaffeinated packaging contained regular non-organic Coffee.”
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Class II
Labeling, packaging or manufacturing problems. “Recall required by Order of Permanent Injunction. The products are misbranded and deemed unapproved drugs based on labeling claims.”
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Class I (most serious)
ASK Foods Inc (Palmyra, PA): A.S.K
Allergen not on the label. “Product may contain undeclared fish (anchovies), milk and soy.”
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Class I (most serious)
Salmonella. “Processed onions products are recalled due to a potential contamination with Salmonella Newport. Onions were supplied from Thomson International Inc.”
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Class I (most serious)
Progressive Produce LLC (Commerce, CA): Red Onions (2 products)
“Onions supplied by Thomson Onions were distributed for retail sale.”
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Class I (most serious)
Serafin Fishery (Pinconning, MI): SERAFIN FISHERY Salmon Fish Dip (2 products)
Allergen not on the label. “Undeclared allergens (ANCHOVIES, EGGS, MILK AND SOY)”
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Class I (most serious)
Thomson International, Inc. (Bakersfield, CA): Yellow onions (4 products)
Salmonella. “Traceback investigation into an outbreak of Salmonella Newport illnesses found red onions to be a suspect vehicle for the outbreak. After notification from FDA, firm initiated a recall.”
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Class II
Metal, plastic, glass or other objects. “The metal lids on some glass jars are loose fitting and not secured tightly.”
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Class II
Allergen not on the label. “The firm was notified by their customer that the product is missing the back panel containing the ingredient, nutrition and allergen statements. Product contains eggs and milk.”
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Class II
Fantis Foods California, Inc. (Santa Fe Springs, CA): Fantis Pita 10 x 7" Pita Bread
Allergen not on the label. “Individual product packaging does state Whey in ingredients but does not declare Milk as an allergen”
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Class II
Metal, plastic, glass or other objects. “Potential to contain foreign material”
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Class II
Labeling, packaging or manufacturing problems. “Eggs have been temperature abused.”
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Class II
Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. (Rochester, NY): Bronzini Seasoned Fillet (23 products)
Listeria. “Products are potentially contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.”
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Class II
Whole Foods Market (Austin, TX): Whole Foods Market Buttermilk Biscuits
Allergen not on the label. “Undeclared soy allergen”
Why food was recalled in September 2020
Chartly groups FDA's written reasons by their key words; each recall counts once, under its first matching reason.
| Reason | Recalls |
|---|---|
| Allergen not on the label | 18 |
| Salmonella | 13 |
| Metal, plastic, glass or other objects | 6 |
| Labeling, packaging or manufacturing problems | 4 |
| Other ingredient not on the label (sulfites, dyes...) | 4 |
| Listeria | 2 |
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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 September 30, 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.