Ground beef Severe illnesses, e-coli outbreaks, and death.
Whole Foods has built a reputation as the nation's premiere health food store, but some
of its products have done more harm than good. From June to August 2008, Nebraska Beef
recalled an astonishing 6.6 million pounds of beef due to contamination with E. coli. As
a result, in August 2008 Whole Foods issued a voluntary recall of fresh ground beef in
stores across 23 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., and Canada. However, this
recall soon expanded to include four more states. In a letter from the
Global Vice President of Procurement, Whole Foods shared that its own tests found no
sign of E. coli in any of its beef products. Though no illnesses were directly
linked to Whole Foods, the recall hurt the company's reputation as a premier
spot for safe, clean meat. In response, the chain vowed to strengthen its
process for selecting beef suppliers. "Where's the beef?" Peanut products One of the most infamous food recalls
of all time concerns the humble peanut and the now-defunct Peanut Corporation
of America, or PCA. From 2008 to 2009, peanut butter and other peanut products from the
PCA caused a massive salmonella outbreak that resulted in the deaths of nine people and more
than 714 sick individuals across the country. In January 2009, PCA issued several recalls,
eventually recalling all products from two plants, dating back two years. The recall was so
widespread that the FDA recommended consumers hold off on eating any foods containing
peanut butter or paste. Whole Foods, along with many companies, issued
its own recalls, listing cookies, energy bars, and ice cream among
the potentially affected products. In historic court proceedings, PCA owner
and president Stewart Parnell was found guilty of several federal charges, including
conspiracy and fraud. The 2014 decision came after it was revealed that Parnell knowingly
shipped out salmonella-tainted products, making it the first time a company executive
faced a federal felony conviction in a food poisoning case. While no illnesses were linked
to Whole Foods specifically, the company suffered major damages, and consumers remained wary
of all peanut butter for some time to come. Stone fruit In July 2014, Wawona Packing Co. issued a fruit
recall after detecting the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in lots of peaches, nectarines,
plums, and other stone fruits. While grocery stores and markets rushed to pull recalled
fruit from their shelves, Whole Foods also issued its own recall of made-in-store
items containing the contaminated fruit. Whole Foods stores in all states
except Washington, Florida, and Oregon were subject to the recall.
However, stores in Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Nevada were hit the hardest,
as these regions sold the majority of the recalled made-in-store products. Despite
the large-scale nature of these recalls, no illnesses were ever definitively
connected to Wawona Packing stone fruit. Ready-to-eat food products Only one year after the mass recall of
Listeria-contaminated stone fruit products, Whole Foods was hit with another recall. This
time, the store's line of ready-to-eat foods fell victim. In February 2015, Whole Foods recalled
about 33,191 pounds of food that contained an undeclared ingredient. The culprit here was none
other than the peanut, a common allergen that can cause hives, swelling, digestive issues, and
troubled breathing in people who are allergic. "I have peanut allergy." The recall affected stores
in 12 states and Washington, D.C. The problem came to light when a Whole
Foods spice supplier discovered that cumin used in some of the store's products had
potentially been tainted with peanuts. The contaminated cumin may have found its way
into various ready-to-eat items. Thankfully, there were no reported allergic reactions
associated with the recalled products. Frozen pizza In January 2016, the new year brought exciting
products to Whole Foods, but it also brought another food recall. Citing a misbranding error,
the chain recalled frozen pizzas from stores in Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, New Jersey,
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New York. It was no small quantity, either, as the company ended
up recalling 73,898 pounds of pizza in total. The error in question concerned the type
of meat used in two different versions of frozen pepperoni pizza. Though the labels on
the products listed uncured beef pepperoni, the pizzas were actually made with uncured pork
pepperoni. The packaging didn't mention pork at all. While this error may not be as bad as
recalls involving salmonella or Listeria, consuming unwanted pork can cause harm to
those with allergies or intolerances to pork. Fortunately, there were no reported
cases of anyone falling ill. Vulto Creamery cheese Raw milk cheese can be deliciously tender and rich
in flavor, but it also comes with serious risks. Cheese made with raw milk is more likely to harbor
Listeria monocytogenes since it does not undergo pasteurization, a process of heating foods at
certain temperatures to kill bacteria and other harmful microorganisms. This nightmare became a
reality for the New York-based Vulto Creamery in 2017, when its cheeses were discovered to be
the source of a Listeria outbreak. In March, the creamery recalled all of its raw milk
cheese, but the damage was already done. The contaminated cheese had been shipped
to stores nationwide, including several Whole Foods locations. The natural foods company
quickly pulled the cheese from nine stores in the Northeastern U.S., soon expanding the recall
to include another eight stores in the same region. While Whole Foods reported no illnesses
associated with cheese purchased from its stores, other Vulto Creamery customers weren't
as fortunate. The outbreak resulted in two deaths, and eight people fell ill and were
hospitalized, including one newborn. In 2024, Vulto Creamery and its owner, Johannes
Vulto, pleaded guilty to misdemeanors concerning the distribution of the
tainted cheese over state lines. Various vegetables In November 2019, Mann Packing Co., Inc.
announced a mass recall of vegetables sold in the U.S. and Canada due to a possible
contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The vegetable supplier, acquired by Del
Monte Fresh Produce the previous year, is based in Salinas, California. However, the
recall reached far beyond the Golden State, as the afflicted vegetables were sold at Whole
Foods, and various other stores nationwide. In response, Whole Foods recalled
various foods prepared with Mann Packing produce. The long list included
fresh salads and prepared-in-store meals. Individual items from the store's hot and
salad bars were also part of the recall, including raw and cooked vegetables. The
recall wasn't limited to one region or state, as stores nationwide had received and used
Mann Packing vegetables. All things considered, it's extremely fortunate that no illnesses
were reported in connection to the recalls. Minestrone soup In April 2020, right at the onset of
the COVID-19 pandemic, Whole Foods faced another challenging recall. This time around,
no supplier or manufacturer was at fault — only Whole Foods was to blame for its failure
to mention an ingredient in a ready-to-eat product. Minestrone Soup, made with vegetables,
beans, pasta, and spices, also contains milk, a common allergen. If someone with a milk allergy
accidentally consumes milk, they may experience digestive problems, hives, and difficulty
breathing. In all, stores in 32 U.S. states were affected by the recall. Thankfully, no adverse
reactions were reported from the mislabeled soup. "Hey, Frankie! Make me a bowl of minestrone." Cahill Cheddar Cheeses It seems that cheese recalls are a common
theme at Whole Foods, for in July 2021, the grocery store was notified of another Listeria
scare, this time concerning two types of cheddar from the Cahill brand. The suspects,
Whiskey Cheddar and Cheddar with Porter, were sold in 44 stores across the
U.S., spanning 22 different states. Whole Foods initiated the recall after the
distributor's routine testing detected the bacteria. Cahill, a long-standing cheese
producer based in Limerick, Ireland, launched its own recall, also pulling several
additional cheese varieties in the process. In an internal investigation, Cahill was able to
narrow down the source of the contamination to one piece of equipment in its facilities.
The company announced that after removing the afflicted equipment, all tests of its
products came back free of Listeria. Luckily, there were no reported cases of illness
linked to the recalls. Today, Cahill's cheeses are once again available
at Whole Foods stores in the U.S. 365 Organic Creamy Caesar Dressing In April 2022, Van Law Food Products, Inc.
launched a recall of its Organic Creamy Caesar Dressing, sold under the Whole Foods 365 name.
The dressing, a flavorful mix of classic Caesar ingredients plus additions like shiitake
mushrooms, also contained some unexpected components: soy and wheat. These add-ins
were not declared on the product's packaging, creating a potentially disastrous risk
for those with soy or wheat allergies. Affecting stores in 11 states nationwide,
the recall initially only impacted bottles of dressing with a November best-by date.
However, in September of the same year, Van Law Food Products expanded the recall to
include bottles with September through June 2023 best-by dates. This second phase of the
recall affected 26 states, and the error was attributed to a mix-up with another product's
back label. Despite the significant recall, there were no reported illnesses or complications
from the undisclosed allergens. Today, the dressing has returned to Whole Foods stores
with all its ingredients clearly labeled. Lightly Seasoned Atlantic Salmon Burgers Not too long after Whole
Foods' Caesar dressing mishap, the company found itself facing yet another
allergen-related recall. In November 2023, Raw SeaFoods, Inc. alerted the public to the
presence of undeclared milk and sesame in its Lightly Seasoned Atlantic Salmon Burgers.
Although Raw SeaFoods is based in Fall River, Massachusetts, the burgers were sold at
Whole Foods stores all over the country. The issue came to light when a vendor
noticed sesame seeds in the burgers, prompting an investigation. The burgers
were processed and prepared with a long list of ingredients, including panko breadcrumbs,
flour, parsley, and lemon juice. However, while the product label listed soy, fish, and wheat,
it failed to declare all possible allergens, posing a serious risk to consumers with sesame or
milk allergies. As of August 2024, no illnesses have publicly surfaced from the recall, but the
burgers have yet to return to Whole Foods stores. Ricotta cheese Perhaps one of the largest recalls in
recent memory concerns the California-based dairy company Rizo Lopez Foods, Inc. In
February 2024, the FDA and CDC announced an investigation into the source of a
widespread Listeria outbreak that had been ongoing for years. The culprit was cheese,
sour cream, and yogurt from Rizo Lopez Foods, sold under many different brand names at
grocery stores nationwide and in Canada. The 2024 recalls included whole milk and part
skim ricotta cheese sold under Whole Foods' 365 label. While soft queso fresco and cotija cheeses
were the main subject of the recalls, many salad and taco kits, dressings, and other prepared foods
were also found to be contaminated with Listeria. In April 2024, the CDC declared the outbreak to
be over. However, the damage was already done: 26 people from 11 states became sick after
consuming Rizo Lopez products. Among the reported illnesses, 23 people were hospitalized
and two died. The CDC admitted that there were likely many more people who never reported their
illnesses, so the true number of cases is unknown. Walnuts As news of the Rizo Lopez recalls was dying
down in April 2024, Whole Foods found itself entangled in another recall. This time around,
organic walnuts from Gibson Farms were linked to an outbreak of E. coli. The tainted walnuts
were sold primarily in bulk bins at natural food stores and co-ops in at least 19 states.
The walnuts were available in the salad bars at 10 Whole Foods stores. In all, there
were 13 reported illnesses from the walnuts, including seven hospitalizations, all
located in California and Washington. "Walnuts bad. Got it." While no Whole Foods stores were linked to any
E. coli-related illnesses, the recall has joined a long list of many in the company's recent
history. 2023 was a tumultuous year for the natural foods store, with the company seemingly
unable to catch a break amid 21 product recalls. Though compared to 2023's numbers, 2024's
recall numbers are minimal. However, Whole Foods still has a lot of work to do to ensure
its products are safe for customers to enjoy.