Product recalls are becoming more common in the United States: The number of recalled products reached a five-year high last year, according to a recent report, with around 3,300 recalls reported across the automotive, consumer product, food and drink, medical device and pharmaceutical industries.
Companies generally issue voluntary recalls after they learn that a batch of products has been contaminated or poses a safety risk. For consumers, it can be difficult to keep track of the various recalls issued on popular products — and determine whether any items they bought are affected.
The list below rounds up some of the biggest recalls affecting the public right now.
Laundry detergent packets
Procter and Gamble, the maker of Tide Pods, recalled 8.2 million bags of laundry detergent packets April 5 because they may be defective, with a risk of splitting open. If the contents are ingested or touch the skin or eyes, they pose a serious risk of injury. No injuries have been reported, however.
According to an announcement posted by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the recall applies to Tide Pods, Gain Flings, Ace Pods and Ariel Pods manufactured between September and February. Consumers can contact Procter and Gamble for a refund and a new, child-resistant bag in which to store the pods, as well as a free cabinet lock.
“This is a packaging issue not a product quality or safety issue,” a company spokesperson said in a statement.
Garment steamers
In an expansion of a recall initiated in November 2022, about 1.6 million additional Black+Decker handheld fabric steamers were recalled April 4, following reports of burns caused by hot water spewing from the nozzle. According to the CPSC, 82 burns have been linked to the steamers, seven of which were second-degree burns. Consumers should contact Empower Brands for a refund.
In an unrelated recall, 2 million handheld fabric steamers were recalled in February for the same reason. Those steamers were sold by the brands Steamfast, Vornado and Sharper Image. According to the CPSC, Vornado received at least 23 reports of burns related to the issue.
Starbucks mugs
Nestlé USA recalled more than 440,000 Starbucks-branded mugs in March, following customer reports of burns and cuts after the products broke or overheated. The recall applies to four types of gift sets containing a ceramic mug with metallic coating, which were sold during the 2023 holiday season.
The mugs pose a risk when microwaved or filled with hot liquid. According to the CPSC, nine cases of severe burns or blisters and one cut have been reported. The mugs were sold online and at Target and Walmart stores between November and January. Customers should return the mugs for a refund or contact Nestlé USA for a check.
Trader Joe’s cashews
Some cashews sold at Trader Joe’s were recalled March 17 because of potential contamination with salmonella bacteria. The maker, Wenders LLC, initiated the recall, which affects Trader Joe’s “50% Less Sodium Roasted & Salted Whole Cashews.” The issue was identified through routine testing by the Food and Drug Administration. No illnesses have been reported.
The nuts were sold at Trader Joe’s stores in 16 states; consumers can return them for a refund.
Yamaha power adapters
Yamaha Corp. of America, best known for manufacturing musical instruments, initiated a recall of more than 34,000 power adapters last month because of a risk that the product could shock or electrocute users.
According to an announcement posted by the CPSC, the recall applies to Yamaha PA-10 AC power adapters sold between June 2021 and November 2023. A crack between the adapter’s upper and lower cases can expose electrical wiring, though no injuries have been reported.
The adapter was sold on its own and in bundles with certain models of Yamaha analog mixing consoles. The company said that consumers should contact Yamaha for a free replacement.
Ground cinnamon
The FDA in March warned about elevated lead levels in six ground cinnamon products. The list includes La Fiesta, from La Superior SuperMercados; Marcum, from Save A Lot; MK, from SF Supermarket; Swad, from Patel Brothers; Supreme Tradition, from Dollar Tree & Family Dollar; and Eli Chilar, from La Joya Morelense. A Dollar Tree spokesperson said the company had removed affected products from its stores.
An FDA spokesperson said that there was no known link to a recall of lead-tainted cinnamon applesauce pouches last year.
Johnsonville Polish kielbasa turkey sausages
A distributor of Johnsonville meat products has recalled 35,430 pounds of Polish kielbasa turkey sausages after consumers reported finding pieces of rubber in the products.
There have been no reports of health issues.
In a statement on its website, Johnsonville said it had told retail partners to remove the affected sausages, which have best-by dates of May 2024, from store shelves.
Trader Joe’s soup dumplings
A California manufacturer is recalling almost 62,000 pounds of frozen chicken soup dumplings sold at Trader Joe’s stores after consumers reported finding hard plastic in the food. The U.S. Agriculture Department said that the dumplings may have been contaminated by a permanent marker pen. No illnesses have been reported.
“We voluntarily take action quickly, aggressively investigating potential problems and removing the product from sale if there is any doubt about its safety or quality,” a Trader Joe’s spokesperson said.
Cinnamon applesauce pouches
As of March, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it had received more than 500 reports of confirmed, suspected and probable cases of lead poisoning linked to cinnamon applesauce pouches. The source of the lead contamination is likely cinnamon from a processor in Ecuador, according to the FDA. The agency said that the cinnamon contained lead chromate, a pigment illegally added to spices to increase their weight or enhance their color.
Three brands have recalled the children’s snack. WanaBana pulled its Apple Cinnamon Fruit Puree Pouches from stores in October, followed by Weis and the supermarket brand Schnucks.
Jeep Grand Cherokees
Chrysler recalled more than 338,000 Jeep Grand Cherokees because of potentially faulty steering components. The affected models include the 2021-2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee LS and the 2022-2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
In a letter dated Feb. 24 on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website, Chrysler said the steering knuckles and part of the upper control arms — which are supposed to attach together — may separate, which could cause the vehicles to lose control.
Chrysler said it is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to the affected models.
Eye ointments
Four types of eye ointments were recalled in February because of concerns that they were manufactured in an unsanitary facility. The products — Equate Lubricant Eye Ointment, Equate Stye Lubricant Eye Ointment, CVS Health Lubricant Eye Ointment and AACE Pharmaceuticals’ Lubricant PM Ointment — were sold nationwide at Walmart and CVS stores. They have expiration dates from February 2024 to September 2025.
Brassica Pharma Pvt. Ltd., the manufacturer, said in a statement that the potential contamination could lead to eye infections, though no such issues had been reported as of Feb. 16.
The recall is separate from a cluster of bacterial infections linked to contaminated eyedrops, which led to the recall of two brands — EzriCare Artificial Tears and Delsam Pharma’s Artificial Tears — last year. The FDA has also warned people not to use 28 additional eyedrop products after investigators found unsanitary conditions in a manufacturing facility.
Certain Volkswagen Group models
Volkswagen Group, which makes Volkswagen and Audi vehicles, among others, recalled approximately 261,000 vehicles over potentially faulty fuel tank suction pumps. A host of models are affected, including some Audi A3, VW Jetta and VW Golf vehicles with model years 2015 to 2020.
Volkswagen warned last month that due to issues with a suction jet pump seal, “fuel may flow into a separate evaporative (EVAP) emissions system and possibly leak out of the charcoal canister.” A fuel leak can increase fire risks and potentially damage a vehicle or harm its occupants.
Queso fresco and cotija cheese
The FDA has warned people not to eat dairy products including queso fresco and cotija cheese that were manufactured by Rizo López Foods. The CDC has linked 26 listeria infections to the products, with cases reported as recently as December. The agencies reopened an investigation in January after new illnesses were reported and a cotija cheese sample tested positive for listeria.
Listeria bacteria can cause serious illness; of the people who got infections, 23 were hospitalized and two died.
To date, more than 115 products made by Rizo López Foods or that contain the manufacturer’s dairy products have been recalled, including taco kits, wraps and meals sold at Albertsons, Costco and Safeway.
“We regret the impact this has had on our loyal customers who have had to recall their products containing cheese we supplied to them,” Edwin Rizo, CEO of Rizo López Foods, said in a statement. “We have always aimed to provide safe, high-quality products.”
Gun safes
Four companies have collectively recalled more than 120,000 biometric gun safes sold by Amazon, Walmart and other major retailers. The safes unlock by scanning a part of the owner’s body such as a fingerprint. But the CPSC is aware of 91 reports of unauthorized users opening the safes.
The recall, issued in February, includes safes from the brands Awesafe, Bulldog and Machir safes. BBRKIN also recalled gun safes sold on Amazon after a report of a 6-year-old boy opening the product.
CPSC Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric told NBC News that the commission heightened its scrutiny of gun safes after a lawsuit filed in August alleged that a 12-year-old boy died from a firearm obtained from a biometric safe. The CPSC recalled those safes in October.
Brandon Rutledge, Bulldog’s vice president, said in a statement that “the problems have stemmed from people not programming the safes at all, or not programming them properly.”
Toshiba laptop adapters
Dynabook — formerly known as Toshiba — recalled 15.5 million AC laptop adapters in February over concerns about burn and fire risks. Information posted to the CPSC website showed Dynabook had received 679 reports of the affected adapters overheating, catching fire, melting or burning over a period of more than a decade. This included 43 reports of minor burns.
The recalled products were included in the purchase of Toshiba laptops and also sold separately, and have date codes from April 2008 to December 2012.
‘Gas station heroin’
Two distributors have recalled Neptune’s Fix supplements amid reports that the products may cause seizures, loss of consciousness and death. The supplements contain tianeptine, a substance nicknamed “gas station heroin,” and are sold with false claims of improving brain function and helping with anxiety, depression, pain or opioid use disorder. Tianeptine has not been approved by the FDA for any use.
A Jan. 11 letter the agency sent to gas stations, convenience stores and other retailers asked them to stop selling Neptune’s Fix and other tianeptine products. Since then, Neptune Resources, LLC has recalled Neptune’s Fix elixirs and tablets, and Super Chill Products — another distributor — has recalled its elixirs, as well.
Philips breathing machines
Since the medical technology giant Philips recalled some of its breathing machines in 2021, more than 560 deaths have been reported that may be linked to them. The FDA received 111 reports of deaths from July 1 to Sept. 30, 2023.
The recalled machines include certain ventilators, as well as BiPAP and CPAP machines used to treat sleep apnea. The foam used in the machines can break down, leading users to breathe chemicals or foam particles into their airways, the FDA said. Philips announced in January that it would not sell new devices for sleep apnea in the U.S.
A Philips representative said the company has not found conclusive data linking the devices to the deaths reported.
Quaker Oats products
More than 60 Quaker products have been recalled since Dec. 15 because of potential contamination with salmonella bacteria. The products include certain flavors of Cap’n Crunch and Oatmeal Squares cereals, some Gatorade protein bars and some batches of Quaker Chewy granola bars and Quaker granola cereals.
PepsiCo, Quaker’s parent company, said that a facility where the affected products were manufactured will close permanently in June.
Recent Comments