Key TakeawaysTrader Joe’s has recalled six food products since July. Most were recalled due to labeling error and physical contaminants like rocks and insects instead of contamination with bacteria or viruses.The company voluntarily removed these products and said there have been no reports of serious illness.Food safety experts say the recalls involve multiple suppliers and consumers shouldn’t particularly worry about shopping at Trader Joe’s.

Key Takeaways

Trader Joe’s has recalled six food products since July. Most were recalled due to labeling error and physical contaminants like rocks and insects instead of contamination with bacteria or viruses.The company voluntarily removed these products and said there have been no reports of serious illness.Food safety experts say the recalls involve multiple suppliers and consumers shouldn’t particularly worry about shopping at Trader Joe’s.

It’s time for yet another pantry check for Trader Joe’s shoppers. Last week,the grocery chain recalledthe Texas Tamale Company’s Gourmet Black Bean Tamales because the label didn’t list milk as an ingredient, which is one of the nine major allergens.

The tamales have joined a list of six recalled products since July. Earlier this summer, two types of cookies were pulled off shelves because theymay contain rocks.Insectswere found in the Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup. Fully Cooked Falafel was also potentially contaminated withrocks, and Multigrain Crackers were recalled due to potentialmetalcontamination.

The timing of these recalls is coincidental, according to Nakia Rohde, a spokesperson for Trader Joe’s.

“We have a close relationship with our vendors. We will never leave to chance the safety of the products we offer. We pull the product from our shelves as soon as we are aware of an issue,” Rohde told Verywell in an email.

The company has offered a full refund to customers who purchased any of the recalled products, and there haven’t been any reports of adverse health effects from these products.

But should you worry about these frequent recalls?

Foods can be recalled because of contamination with disease-causing pathogens like E. coli,presence of foreign physical objects like rocks or insects, or failure to list a major allergen on the label.

Pathogens have been responsible for many food recalls over the years, likeE. coliin spinach orSalmonellain peanut butter. In June,frozen fruit products were recalledfrom multiple stores—including Trader Joe’s—because of potential contamination withListeria monocytogenes,a type of bacteria that can lead to gastrointestinal distress or infection.

The recent string of Trader Joe’s recalls are primarily related to physical contamination, instead of pathogens or “any type of intentional sabotage or intent,” according toDarin Detwiler, LPD, a food safety advocate and professor of food policy and corporate social responsibility at Northeastern University.

“The cause is likely that these items are not being inspected at the same levels or with the proper use of technologies that are intended to catch and prevent these items from being contaminated,” Detwiler told Verywell in an email.

He said that these recalls have been voluntary, which means no health agency has mandated the company to remove these products.

Trader Joe’s Recalled Products

Trader Joe’s Isn’t Entirely to Blame

Food safety experts say the Trader Joe’s recalls are more of a supply chain issue than the fault of the grocery store.

“It appears these recalls have involved a variety of products across different suppliers, so consumers shouldn’t be more worried about Trader Joe’s products in relation to other foods purchased at other stores,”Brian Ronholm, director of food policy atConsumer Reports,told Verywell in an email.

Both theFood and Drug Administration(FDA) and theU.S. Department of Agriculture(USDA) are involved with recalls. You can browse the agencies’ websites for a list of recent food recalls. Scrolling through these lists shows that food sold at tons of different grocery stores has been recalled recently.

“The risk is equal across the board, and one store chain isn’t going to have an elevated risk compared to another,” Ronholm said. “I hope this string of recalls hasn’t gone unnoticed within Trader Joe’s, and they have undertaken a thorough review of their supply chain and their internal processes to ensure they can adequately address these issues.”

Ronholm said it’s important to stay vigilant when it comes to food safety. One way to do that is to be aware of any recall alerts as they’re announced. And if you’re a regular Trader Joe’s shopper, check your pantry for any of the recalled products.

Detwiler also suggested checking any products you’ve purchased at Trader Joe’s just to be safe and contacting the store if anything seems off.

“When we purchase ‘ready-to-eat foods’ or those that are referred to as ‘commercially packaged goods,’ we are buying heavily manufactured items that include items and steps from multiple locations,” Detwiler said. “This ‘convenience’ comes with the added reality that food safety failures along the item’s journey from farms to fork are more likely.”

What This Means For YouIf you purchased any of the recalled products from Trader Joe’s, you can return them to the store for a refund.

What This Means For You

If you purchased any of the recalled products from Trader Joe’s, you can return them to the store for a refund.

1 SourceVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Food and Drug Administration.Food recalls: what you need to know.

1 Source

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Food and Drug Administration.Food recalls: what you need to know.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Food and Drug Administration.Food recalls: what you need to know.

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