Context:

The week of June 30 experienced several significant food recalls due to safety concerns, impacting products like Oscar Mayer turkey bacon and blueberries due to Listeria contamination, and lunch meat and Wegmans chocolate due to mislabeling. The Oscar Mayer turkey bacon recall involved 367,812 pounds potentially contaminated with Listeria, and affected retail locations across the U.S., the British Virgin Islands, and Hong Kong. The blueberries, totaling 12,000 pounds, were recalled by Alma Pak International LLC, but only distributed to a single customer. Mislabeling issues led to the recall of 143,416 pounds of Gaiser’s European Style Provisions Inc. lunch meat, which contained undeclared meats, as well as Wegmans chocolate nonpareils, which contained an undeclared milk allergen. Consumers are advised to discard or return these products due to the health risks associated with them.

Dive Deeper:

• Oscar Mayer turkey bacon was recalled by Kraft Heinz due to possible Listeria contamination, affecting 367,812 pounds of the product across various locations including the U.S., British Virgin Islands, and Hong Kong. The recall was classified as Class 1, indicating a high risk of foodborne illness.

• Alma Pak International LLC initiated a recall of 12,000 pounds of blueberries following positive Listeria tests during routine checks, though the affected product was only distributed to one customer, minimizing consumer exposure.

• Gaiser’s European Style Provisions Inc. faced a nationwide recall of 143,416 pounds of lunch meat due to mislabeling, which revealed undeclared meats such as pork, chicken, and beef in their products, although the recall was deemed a Class 3 risk, the lowest level.

• Wegmans chocolate nonpareils were recalled due to the presence of an undeclared milk allergen, posing a severe risk for individuals with milk allergies. The recall spanned across 8 states and Washington, D.C., urging affected consumers to return the product for a refund.

• Listeria contamination in the recalled turkey bacon and blueberries and mislabeling in the lunch meat and chocolate underscore the importance of food safety protocols and the need for vigilant monitoring and label accuracy to protect consumers.