Food Recalls

Anaya Riaz, staff writer

Food recalls have been happening pretty often recently and they show why food safety is so important. A food recall is when a company removes a product from stores because there is a chance that it could make people sick or because something is wrong with the product. Some recent recalls have involved foods that many people probably have in their refrigerator, freezer or pantry without even thinking about it. One of the biggest recent examples involved frozen blueberries. In 2026 frozen organic blueberries sold under the Greenwise brand were recalled because they could have been contaminated with a harmful type of E. coli. Publix later recalled Greenwise frozen blueberries and mixed berries. The FDA and CDC investigated illnesses connected to the blueberries although the outbreak was eventually declared over. 

Another recall involved Great Value Organic Triple Berry Blend. This frozen fruit contains strawberries, blackberries and blueberries. One lot was recalled in September 2026 because of possible E. coli contamination connected to the blueberry investigation. The product had been sent to Walmart stores in several states. This is a good example of how one ingredient can cause a recall of a product containing several different types of fruit. Other common foods have also been involved in safety investigations recently. In 2026 the FDA investigated outbreaks involving foods such as sprouts, jalapenos, eggs, iceberg lettuce and frozen blueberries. These foods can sometimes become contaminated with bacteria or other germs before they ever reach someone’s kitchen. 

Whole Foods has also posted several recalls in 2026. Some examples include certain salsas, guacamole, pico de gallo and prepared foods because of possible Salmonella contamination. Other products were recalled because they contained allergens that were not correctly listed on their labels or because foreign material might have gotten into the food. Overall food recalls might sound scary but they are also part of the system used to protect people. They warn customers about products that could be unsafe and give stores a chance to remove them. Checking recall notices can be a simple way for families to make sure the food they have at home is safe to eat.