Massive Nationwide Food Recall Could Affect ‘Tens of Thousands of People’

Food and Agriculture

A problem at a single food-processing plant in California has led to a massive recall impacting millions of pounds of pre-made salads and meals, more than two dozen chains and 13 food companies, USA Today reported Tuesday.

The problem started October 15 when McCain Foods USA recalled the Fire Roasted Black Bean Corn processed at its plant in Colton, California near Los Angeles for potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes or Salmonella, Food Safety News reported. McCain Foods has since recalled all products from its Colton plant, which makes fire roasted, caramelized and sauteed frozen fruit and vegetables.


The recall has reverberated from Walmart to Whole Foods and offers a case study in the complexity of the U.S. food supply chain.

“These recalls demonstrate just how complex and interconnected our food system is today. When you buy something from the store, it’s possible the company that produced it was three companies ago,” Consumers Union Senior Food Policy Analyst Will Wallace told USA Today. “This is a big deal. It could impact tens of thousands of people, if not more.”

On Friday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a joint warning about the various recalls.

“No illnesses to date have been identified in connection with any of these foods, but consumers should not eat any of the products that have been recalled, as they could be contaminated with Salmonella and/or Listeria monocytogenes.” the joint statement said, according to Food Safety News.

This isn’t the first time McCain Foods has had to issue a recall. In April 2017, it took its Roundy’s, Harris Teeter and Southern Style hash browns off the shelf because golf balls had somehow gotten mashed up with the potatoes, causing a choking hazard.

The companies impacted this time around are listed below, so make sure none of your favorites are caught up in the recall. You can click on the link for more detailed information about each recall. Stay safe!

1. Prime Deli Corporation: On Oct. 16, This Lewisville, Texas company recalled two shipments of “7-ELEVEN™ BISTRO SOUTHWEST STYLE SALAD WITH BACON” with use-by dates of Oct. 16 sent to retail locations in Texas.

2. GH Foods CA: On Oct. 17, this Sacramento company recalled around 987 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken salads shipped to stores in California including “365 BY WHOLE FOODS MARKET BBQ STYLE CHOPPED SALAD WITH CHICKEN” and “365 BY WHOLE FOODS MARKET CHICKEN FAJITA SALAD,” both with sell-by dates ranging from Oct. 17 to Oct. 20.

3. Mary’s Harvest Fresh Foods: On Oct. 17, this Portland company recalled around 916 pounds of salads and wraps containing corn, including “TRADER JOSE’S MEXICALI INSPIRED SALAD WITH CHILI SEASONED CHICKEN” with sell-by dates from the 15th to the 19th of October. The products were sent to stores in Washington, Idaho and Oregon.

4. Taylor Farms Northwest: On Oct. 17, The Kent, Washington company recalled around 276 pounds of pork carnitas bowls with sell by dates ranging from Oct. 15 to 19 sent to stores in Washington and Oregon.

5. GHSE, LLC: The last Oct. 17 recall was from this Florida company and impacted around 738 pounds of its “Marketside™ FIESTA SALAD WITH STEAK” with sell-by dates of October 17 to October 20. The products were shipped to stores in Georgia, Florida and South Carolina.

6. Hy-Vee: On Oct. 18, Des Moines, Iowa-based grocery store chain Hy-Vee recalled six of its meat and potato products in 245 stores across eight states. All of the recalled products had a best-by date of Oct. 22 or earlier.

7. GHSW, LLC: The Houston-based company recalled around 1,786 pounds of ready-made chicken salads on Oct. 19, including several from Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s: “365 BY WHOLE FOODS MARKET BBQ STYLE CHOPPED SALAD WITH CHICKEN” , “365 BY WHOLE FOODS MARKET CHICKEN FAJITA SALAD”, “TRADER JOE’S BBQ SEASONED WHITE CHICKEN SALAD” , “TRADER JOE’S FIELD FRESH CHOPPED SALAD WITH GRILLED WHITE CHICKEN”, and “TRADER JOSÉ’S MEXICALI INSPIRED SALAD WITH CHILI SEASONED CHICKEN”. Expiration dates ranged from Oct. 18 to 21, and the products were sent to stores in Colorado, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas.

8. Ruiz Food Products: On Oct. 19, the Denison, Texas company recalled around 2,490,593 pounds of Go-Go Taquitos that had been sent to stores around the country.

9. Caito Foods: Operating out of Indianapolis, Caito Foods recalled around 1,532 pounds of salad and bowl products containing chicken that had been sent to stores in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota and Missouri and had best-by dates ranging from Oct. 12 to 21.

10. Envolve Foods: On Oct. 19, the Corona, California company recalled around 292,764 pounds of ready-made chicken and beef products in the Simple Truth and Cadence Gourmet lines that had sell by dates between Oct. 20 and March 2020. They were sent to stores around the country.

11. Buddy’s Kitchen: On Oct. 19, Minnesota company Buddy’s Kitchen recalled around 212,746 pounds of ready-to-eat pork and chicken meals that were sent to institutions in Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri and New Jersey.

12. SK Food Group: The last Oct. 19 recall came from an Ohio and Nevada company that recalled around 174,207 pounds of “jenny CRAIG CHICKEN WRAP WITH BBQ SAUCE” that had been sent to customers in California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Texas through catalogue sales.

13. Bakkavor Foods: The most recent recall came from a company with locations in California, North Carolina and Pennsylvania that was recalling around 795,261 pounds of ready-made meat and poultry products including three HARRIS TEETER FRESH FOODS MARKET DELI-BAKERY meals and one “TRADER JOE’S CARNITAS WITH SALSA VERDE Burrito.” The products had sell-by dates ranging from October 2017 to April 2019 and were sent around the country.

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