A widespread salad dressing and condiment recall has been initiated by manufacturer Ventura Foods, LLC, spanning 27 states, after the discovery of potential contamination with black plastic foreign material. The recall, classified as a Class II risk by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), involves thousands of gallons of products sold primarily through foodservice channels, including major retailers like Costco and Publix.
The Contamination Cause and Risk
The root cause of the contamination has been traced back to an ingredient: granulated onion. Officials believe pieces of black plastic planting material from the onion source may have entered the condiment batches during production.
The FDA has designated this as a Class II recall, which means consuming the affected product may cause “temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences” or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote. However, foreign materials like hard plastic still pose a risk of internal injury, illness, or a choking hazard, prompting the urgent need for removal from circulation.
🛒 Affected Brands and Products
The recall impacts a range of large-format and food-service dressings and sauces, which are often used in deli and prepared food sections of grocery stores and cafeterias. Consumers are advised to check any bulk or prepared items they may have purchased recently.
Key products included in the recall are:
Costco: Caesar Dressings used in the Service Deli and Food Court.
Publix: Deli Carolina-Style Mustard BBQ Sauce.
Hidden Valley: Buttermilk Ranch (Specific food-service gallon tubs).
Pepper Mill: Regal Caesar Dressing and Creamy Caesar Dressing.
Sysco: Creamy Poblano Avocado Ranch Dressing and Dip.
Monarch: Italian Salad Dressing.
Ventura: Caesar Dressing.
Note: While some items carry recognizable retail brand names like Hidden Valley, the recalled products are generally large, food-service sized containers (e.g., 1-gallon tubs), not the smaller bottles typically sold directly to consumers on grocery shelves. Costco has also recalled specific prepared meals, such as certain batches of its Caesar Salad and Chicken Sandwich with Caesar Salad, that contained the affected dressing.
🗺️ Distribution and What Consumers Should Do
The contaminated products were distributed to 42 retail sites across 27 U.S. states, including Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and others.
If you have purchased any of the recalled products or prepared meals from the delis/food courts of the affected retailers, authorities strongly advise you to take the following steps immediately:
Do Not Consume: Discard the product immediately.
Seek Refund: Return the item to the place of purchase for a full refund.
Monitor Health: Contact a healthcare provider if you have any health concerns after consuming one of the affected products.
The recall, which was initially initiated on November 6 and upgraded on December 4, remains ongoing as manufacturers and retailers work to remove all contaminated stock.
