2024's Biggest Food Recalls So Far

When we go to the grocery store, we trust that the various products on display have gone through rigorous inspections to ensure their safety. Specifically, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) are the bodies responsible for such checks. And for the most part, we can happily buy our favorite food items, bring them home, and eat them without issue.

However, it's not uncommon for issues to arise after products line the grocery store shelves. Unfortunately, they might only be caught after consumers have suffered consequences, so you may have been an unlucky buyer before. If not, then you've had a good run! From bacterial to foreign object contaminations, people have faced several culinary obstacles, and it's not likely to stop anytime soon. In fact, this year's already started with some concerning problems. Here are the biggest food recalls of 2024 you should know about.

The new year started off with a bang, as Salm Partners, LLC issued a recall for over 133,000 pounds of ready-to-eat turkey kielbasa on January 5th, per the USDA. The affected products were the Parkview Turkey Polska Kielbasa packs, and they were produced on October 27th and 30th, 2023. This meant they had use-by dates of April 24th and 27th, 2024. What's so concerning about the recall is not only did it involve a hefty amount of sausage, but that it was nationwide as well.

In addition, the recall was due to possible contamination with foreign objects. Salm Partners itself received complaints from customers who said they found bone pieces in their sausages, and the US Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) also got two customer complaints. While one person was actually orally injured from eating these sausages, there were no other reports of injury or illness. The affected packages had the establishment number P-32009.

Are you looking for an alternative to Parkview Turkey Polska Kielbasa after reading this? Then take a look at our ultimate ranking of breakfast sausage. Not only are there turkey options on this list, but also pork and vegan ones if you want to decrease your carbon footprint.

Chicken-flavored base can be handy if you want to add a pop of flavor to your meat, vegetables, or soup. Sprinkling in a little can really make a difference and make your dishes shine. However, it's not great when there's a recall, and that's exactly what happened to Vanee Foods. On February 1st, 2024, the USDA reports that this company recalled almost 10,000 pounds of Sysco Classic Chicken Flavored Base in Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia. These came in one-pound plastic tubs and were produced on July 26th, 2023. The tubs had lot code 02673 printed on the outside.

These products were recalled due to misbranding and undeclared allergens. People expecting to get a purely chicken-flavored base may have bought tubs that actually contained beef-flavored base. In addition, the products may have had soy and wheat. To date, there have been no official reports of illness or adverse reactions after use of Sysco Classic Chicken Flavored Base.

Handling raw meat can be challenging, which is why it's so important to source yours from reputable retailers. It's good to know if your local butcher sells more than just raw meat, as this indicates they're excellent at their job. However, it still doesn't mean you won't run into trouble. For instance, on February 29th, 2024, MF Meats recalled over 93,000 pounds of raw meat products, which had been shipped to restaurants in New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. According to the USDA, these products had been packaged between November 26th to December 31st, 2023, and January 1st to February 16th, 2024, with the establishment number EST. 569.

What's interesting about this recall is that, surprisingly, the concern wasn't bacterial contamination. Instead, MF Meats received four complaints from differing restaurants that there was a strange chemical taste in the meat. They found that they'd mistakenly used non-food grade mineral seal oil, which had contaminated the meat via food contact surfaces, after their supplier sent them the wrong thing. The good news is that there were no reports of people falling ill from eating this meat.

Charcuterie boards are fantastic for entertaining. You have a little bit of everything for people to nibble at, and you can pick up ready-made boards from the grocery store. However, keep an eye out for recalls, as it's possible for charcuterie boards to be tainted, as the ones from Fratelli Beretta USA, Inc. were. It's an ongoing story, even at time of writing, so you know it's serious business.

It all started back on January 3rd, 2024, when the firm issued a nationwide recall for over 11,000 pounds of Busseto Foods ready-to-eat charcuterie meat. The USDA reports that these packages may have been contaminated with salmonella. These 18-ounce trays were produced on October 30th, 2023, had a best-by date of April 27th, 2024, and the lot code L075330300. This ordeal was addressed in mid-May, with over 5,500 pounds of product recovered.

However, that wasn't the end. The USDA later reported, on February 12th, 2024, that the firm recalled an undetermined amount of ready-to-eat charcuterie products containing coppa. This meat might've been under-processed, which may have led to contamination with pathogens such as salmonella. The recall involved items labelled as EST. M47967 and M7543B. If this has you convinced that you should make your own instead, then don't miss the 13 ingredients that are ruining your charcuterie board.

Ground cinnamon can be a wonderful addition to anything from baked goods to dinner dishes. That sweet but spicy kick can be the perfect touch to elevate what's on your table. Yet, consumers were in for a shock when they discovered that something not so nice was in their spice pantry — lead.

Back in early March 2024, the FDA performed tests on ground cinnamon products after a huge cinnamon applesauce pouch recall in October 2023, due to high levels of lead. Unfortunately, they found that numerous products had an unacceptably high level of lead in them. What was worrisome was that this didn't affect just one major company. Those impacted included La Fiesta Food Products, Moran Foods, LLC, MTCI, Raja Foods LLC, Greenbriar International, Inc., and El Chilar. The silver lining is that the levels found ranged from 2.03 to 3.4 parts per million (ppm), which is nothing compared to the lead levels in Austrofoods ground cinnamon, of 2,270 to 5,110 ppm, which the FDA found back in October 2023.

This isn't Trader Joe's first rodeo — in fact, there was a recent Trader Joe's basil recall in April 2024. This recall was due to a potential Salmonella outbreak, but it only affected the east side of the country. With the chicken soup dumplings though, they weren't as lucky. On March 2nd, 2024, the brand had to recall almost 62,000 pounds of this product throughout the nation. Per the USDA, they were produced on December 7th, 2023, and have the lot codes 03.07.25.C1-1 and 03.07.25.C1-2, as well as the establishment number P-46009.

This time, there was no bacterial contamination. Instead, these six-ounce boxes were tainted with foreign materials. Several customers complained to Trader Joe's after they found hard plastic bits in their food, which were found to be from a permanent market pen. Although they had these unpleasant findings, luckily, no consumers stepped forward with reports of adverse reactions or injury.

Staying away from junk food can be difficult — for a real game-changer, turn to interesting salads. Ready-to-eat ones can be expensive though, which is why Kroger salads are a godsend to many. Not only is there a good selection, but they're affordable too. However, by now, you might've already guessed that these food items aren't safe from recalls either.

On March 13th, 2024, the parent company Taylor Farms Pacific recalled almost 20,000 pounds of their Kroger ready-to-eat apple walnut with chicken salad bowls. They were produced between February 29th and March 9th, 2024, and had a use-by date of March 12th to March 22nd, 2024. The USDA reports that the lot codes affected were TFPM059B41, TFPM060B41, TFPM061A41, TFPM062A41, TFPM063B41, TFPM064A41, TFPM064B41, TFPM065A41, TFPM066A41, TFPM067A41, TFPM068A41, TFPM069B42, and TFPM071A41. If you ate some, don't panic, as the recall was due to misbranding and undeclared allergens. These 5.5-ounce bowls might've contained wheat, which wasn't listed on the label, so if you don't usually have an issue with gluten, then you were probably fine during the recall.

Want to eat a similar salad but want to be sure of every ingredient that goes in? Then give our Waldorf chicken salad recipe a try. It's a little less wholesome since there's mayonnaise in it, but you can always omit it or substitute for Greek yogurt instead.

Breakfast burritos are a great way to start your day since they're packed with hearty goodness. It can be a labor of love to make your own though, and not everyone has the time or energy to do so much prep. This is where ready-to-eat foods really shine! Heating up a burrito in the morning takes just minutes, allowing you to go about your daily routine with ease. Grabbing an affordable one at a local kiosk is an option too.

But on March 10th, 2024, Jen's Breakfast Burritos, LLC fans faced a disheartening recall. According to the USDA, it was only for the state of Washington, and just 144 pounds of breakfast burritos were recalled. That may not sound like a huge deal, but these products may have been contaminated with listeria, a type of bacteria which can cause serious health issues. They were also shipped to to-go kiosks in the state, which meant many burritos could've been sold to consumers. The affected items were produced on February 29th, 2024, and three types of burrito were on the list (all 7-ounce individual wax paper packages): The smoked bacon breakfast burrito (lot code 060-1), ham breakfast burrito (lot code 060-2), and seasoned pork breakfast burrito (lot code 060-3). They all had EST. 1826 printed on the packaging.

Sausage lovers will be disappointed to see yet another turkey kielbasa product on this list. Even worse is that while the brand name is different (Johnsonville vs. Parkview), the parent company is the same: Salm Partners. Their Parkview recall occurred in early January, and just two months later, they had another for Johnsonville, which doesn't reflect well on the company.

On March 7th, 2024, per the USDA, Salm Partners recalled over 35,000 pounds of their 12-ounce Johnsonville Polish kielbasa turkey sausage products. This nationwide order regarded items produced between October 30th and 31st, 2023, with best-by dates of May 17th and 18th, 2024. These packages had the establishment number P-32009 printed on the side. These sausages were recalled since consumers complained to the firm after finding pieces of rubber in them. Despite these complaints, there were no reported adverse reactions or injuries. Still, if you're after some turkey sausage, maybe try another brand since Salm Partners doesn't seem to have a good track record.

Frozen pizzas are amazing if you want to throw together a filling meal for the family after a long day. They're not too bad on the junk food scale, and it's hot food in everyone's tummies. While the oven's on, you can also make some browned, caramelized vegetables that not only taste outstanding, but also provide important nutrients for your loved ones.

The bad news about frozen pizzas is they can be recalled too. On April 26th, 2024, 802 VT Frozen recalled over 8,200 pounds of their frozen meat pizza, as they were misbranded and had undeclared allergens. The FSIS found that the products contained soy, and it wasn't listed on the label. The USDA reports that this recall was for "802 VT Frozen MEAT!!! CRISPY WOOD-FIRED CRUST HAND MADE PIZZA" produced from April 25th, 2023 to April 25th, 2024, which is a very lengthy period. They had best-by dates between April 25th, 2024 to April 25th, 2025, and had the establishment number EST. 46308. Affected states included Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. There were no consumer reports or complaints.

We've got another deli meat on our list, meaning you've got to be careful when buying or creating charcuterie boards. In this case, parent company ConSup North America Inc. recalled almost 86,000 pounds of ready-to-eat sliced prosciutto ham on April 24th, 2024. This affected the entire nation, and only around 6,200 pounds of the prosciutto was recovered.

This was a somewhat complicated case since, as the USDA reports, some of the ham was produced in Germany and shipping to the US without an equivalent inspection here. The lot codes of the affected 5.29-ounce packages were 09118-3A, 09118-3B, 09120-3A, 09120-3B, 13133-3A, 13133-3B, 13104-3A, 13104-3B, 13105-3A, 13105-3B, 13109-3A and 13109-3B, and had best-by dates ranging from April 28th, 2024 to October 7th, 2024. The upside to this situation was that chances were, the prosciutto was safe to eat. However, the FDA advised that consumers throw away the deli meat anyway, just to err on the side of caution.

Ground beef is a versatile ingredient used to pack dishes with meaty flavor and texture. Because of this, it shouldn't come as a surprise that tons of it is sold every day to consumers. You can never be too careful though, as bacterial contaminations are quite common. This is why it's vital that you cook it completely before consumption.

Just recently, on May 1st, 2024, Cargill Meat Solutions recalled over 16,200 pounds of their raw ground beef products. This included not only ground beef itself, but also steak burger patties, with weights ranging from 1.33 pounds to 2.25 pounds. Per the USDA, these products were produced on April 26th and 27th, 2024, and have the establishment number EST. 86P. These items had been shipped to Walmart stores and the recall applied to the entire nation.

The amount of raw beef products recalled isn't the only thing that's alarming about the recall. The reason why these items were pulled was because of potential contamination with E. coli bacteria. This happens often in meat products, and if you get an infection, you'll get noticeable gastrointestinal symptoms.

Sadly, we have another beef recall on the list, and this is a pretty big one too. On June 4th, 2024, South American Meat Inc. (also known as 5Gogi LLC) recalled over 20,000 pounds of frozen raw beef products. This meat was imported from Uruguay, and the main brand affected was Frigorifico Casa Blanca. Products affected, according to the USDA, were chuck roll, short rib, cube roll, striploin, flap meat, shoulder clod, tenderloin, oyster blade, and brisket. These items were imported on or around March 17th, 2024, and had case codes JP0001 through JP0009. All had the Uruguay establishment number 58.

The brighter side of this recall is that it only affected four states — Arizona, California, Oregon, and Washington. Plus, the recall wasn't due to bacterial or foreign object contamination. Instead, it was over a technicality, as the products weren't reinspected once they entered the US. Unsurprisingly, there are no consumer reports of adverse reactions.