For many shoppers, a trip to Trader Joe's is about more than just stocking up your cabinets and refrigerator. The grocery chain is beloved for its in-house brands of frozen foods, canned goods, sweet treats, and everyday essentials—all available at incredibly affordable prices. The store even carries plenty of ready-to-eat products and fresh produce for customers that can make breakfast, lunch, or dinner a breeze. But now, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) warns that Trader Joe's has recalled salad sold at its stores. Read on to see which item was just pulled from shelves over health concerns.
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FSIS warns that there's a recall on a salad item sold at Trader Joe's.
Shutterstock/oatawaIn an alert posted on March 4, FSIS announced that Oregon-based GH Foods NW, LLC issued a recall for its Trader Joe's Lemon Chicken & Arugula Salad it produces for the popular grocery store chain. The affected ready-to-eat product is sold in 9.2-ounce plastic clamshell packages and is printed with the lot code GHNW 059-06 and a "best by" date of March 6, 2023.
The agency reports that the item was sent to Trader Joe's stores in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. In total, about 106 pounds of product are affected by the move.
The agency warns the item could contain potentially dangerous ingredients for some people.
iStockAccording to its notice, FSIS reports that the company decided to pull the item from shelves "due to misbranding and undeclared allergens." The agency says that while the product's top label is correct, they were packaged with the ingredient label for the company's Broccoli Slaw and Kale Salad with White Chicken Meat item. This means the affected product does not alert customers that it contains wheat, which is a known food allergen.
The agency says it first became aware of the issue when the company notified them that it had discovered products were shipped to stores with the incorrect ingredient statement. So far, there have been no reports of medical issues or adverse reactions from consuming the item.
Here's what you should do if you purchased the affected salad from Trader Joe's.
Shutterstock/Andrey_PopovFSIS says that it's concerned customers may still have the recalled Trader Joe's salad in their refrigerators at home. As such, the agency advises anyone who purchased the product not to eat it. Instead, they should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase for a refund.
Anyone who believes they may have experienced a medical issue or illness from eating the recalled salad should contact their doctor or healthcare provider immediately. Customers with questions or concerns can also contact GH Foods NW by calling a hotline listed on the agency's recall notice.
Other items have been pulled recently due to unlisted ingredients.
iStock / pashapixelEven though food and beverage products are often pulled over potentially dangerous contamination fears, it's also not uncommon for unlisted ingredients to be the cause. In fact, there are several recent instances similar to the latest Trader Joe's salad recall—including some that affected other major retailers.
On Feb. 16, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced that Silvestri Sweets Inc. had voluntarily recalled its Favorite Day branded Valentine's Milk Chocolate Covered Caramels with Nonpareils. The Valentine's Day-themed candies were sold at Target stores nationwide. The agency said the company pulled the items after discovering they could contain an undeclared tree nut as an ingredient, which could cause a "serious or life-threatening" reaction if someone allergic consumed them.
The following week, the FDA announced that Sunny Dell Foods, LLC had recalled 12-ounce jars of its Rao's Homemade Brand Roasted Red Peppers with Portobello Mushrooms. In this case, the company said a labeling error at its production facility meant the jars actually contained a condiment made with tree nuts, constituting a serious undeclared allergen risk. Customers were told to return the item for a full refund.
And on Feb. 28, chocolates were once again the focus of a recall when Russell Stover announced it was pulling some of its Sugar Free Peanut Cups it had distributed to wholesale and retail stores nationwide. Similar to the Target chocolate recall, the agency said that a packaging error meant the items contained undeclared pecans. Customers were advised to contact the company to request a voucher for a replacement.
