30 Of The Most Scandalous Food Recalls Of All Time

1. Nestle Cookie-dough

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When Nestle recalled 300,000 cases of its cookie dough in 2009, consumers wondered if there was an outbreak of food contamination. They were right! Health authorities detected that some of the products distributed by the Virginia-based company were contaminated with E.coli. 65 people were infected with the bacteria, and 25 of them were admitted for treatment.

2. Townsend Pomegranate seeds

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Pomegranate seeds imported from Turkey were seized in 2013 after the FDA discovered they were infected with the Hepatitis A virus. Townsend Farms intended to use the seeds to process Organic Antioxidant Blends. However, before the Oregon-based company recalled their products, 162 people had already been infected across 10 states.

3. Jack In the Box Hamburgers

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In 1993, four states experienced the deadliest E. coli outbreak ever recorded in US history. The culprit behind the contamination was Von Companies California. Their beloved Jack In The Box Hamburgers caused more than 500 cases of the bacteria and four deaths. Despite instructing a recall of their products, only 20% of their stock was secured.

4. Hillfarm Dairy Milk

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The year 1985 saw Hillfarm Dairy Milk, an Illinois-based processor, recall its stock after a Salmonella outbreak. More than 12,000 people across the American Midwest were infected with the bacteria, and the number of deaths registered from the incident remains contentious. Hillfarm was shut down by health authorities after the outbreak was tracked to its doorstep.

5. Contaminated Meat

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Sara Lee Corporation, a major hotdog and deli meat processor, was hit by catastrophic losses after being responsible for the 1998 Listeria outbreak. They recalled 35 million pounds of meat which had already been distributed to markets across America. More than 100 people got ill, and 21 people died from the outbreak. Repairing the scandalous damage was a costly venture.

6. Jalisco cheese

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Jalisco Mexican cheese was responsible for a devastating Listeria attack that killed 28 people in 1985. Health authorities reported that more than 140 cases of Listeriosis were recorded in Los Angeles County alone. Jalisco Mexican Products Inc. was forced to pay damages after it was established that its products were at the center of the outbreak.

7. Jensen Farm in Colorado

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Jensen Farm in Colorado was embroiled in a food contamination scandal in 2011 after a Listeria outbreak was linked to their Cantaloupes. More than 140 people were recorded to have been infected, with 33 deaths resulting from the outbreak. The company filed for bankruptcy immediately after their woes began. They were charged with several counts of food contamination.

8. Pilgrim's Pride Chicken and Turkey products

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Pilgrim's Pride Corporation recalled more than 27 million pounds of Chicken and Turkey meat in 2002 after a Listeria outbreak. Forty-six consumers of their products were infected with the illness, while ten others died. Even more shocking, the outbreak which occurred in eight states, led to cases of miscarriage and stillbirth in some women who consumed the meat.

9. Topps Meat Company recall

Image Source: The New York Times

Before 2007, Topps Meat Company was the nation’s largest distributor of frozen hamburger patties. But in that fated year, their meat products were linked to an outbreak of E.coli that led to about 40 people getting sick. The company had to recall more than 21 million pounds of meat but that could not salvage matters. After the scandal, the company was shut down.

10. Killer Cucumbers

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Cucumbers sold by Andrew and Williamson fresh produce were recalled in 2015 after a Salmonella outbreak. The deadly contamination led to over 900 cases of the illness and six deaths. Although it was determined that the vegetables had been imported from Mexico, the CDC made it clear that they had no idea where the contamination began.

11. Blue Bell Ice Cream

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Blue Bell. One of the country’s most popular ice cream processors was forced to recall its stocks of ice cream, yogurt, and frozen snacks in 2015. This is because there was a Listeria outbreak believed to have been caused by the milk used in the preparation of Blue Bell products. Three people died in Kansas, and ten others were hospitalized across four states.

12. Vulto Cheese with Listeria

Image Source: The New York Times

A New York creamery had to recall some of its cheese after it was discovered that they were prepared using raw milk infected with Listeria. However, due to rapid distribution, the cheese was consumed by various people causing the illness of eight people and two deaths in Connecticut and Vermont. Due to negligence, the creamery was out of business in 2018.

13. Infected Mexican Papayas

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More than 200 cases of Salmonella were recorded across the country in 2017. For about five months, health authorities detected five strains of the bacteria in Papayas imported from Campeche, Mexico. Three companies including Grande Produce, Agroson's LLC, and Freshtex Produce were responsible for the distribution. They had to recall the Papayas.

14. The Cargill turkey

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When one company is responsible for two outbreaks of Salmonella infections in a single year, health authorities will raise eyebrows. Cargill Meat Solutions in Arkansas recalled 36 million pounds of meat after infections from its turkey meat occurred in August 2011. A month later, the outbreak resurfaced, with casualties totaling 75 infections and one death.

15. Odwalla Apple juice

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To date, it remains unbelievable that Odwalla Inc. would distribute unpasteurized apple juice to the market in 1996. The result of this health error caused an E. coli outbreak, with more than 65 people getting infected. The cases were rampant in British Columbia, Canada, and the Western states of America. The company was bought by Coca-Cola after being held liable for the scandal.

16. General Mills’ Contaminated flour

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In 2016, three brands of flour processed by General Mills company were linked to the eruption of E. coli cases across 24 states in the country. Close to 45 million pounds of flour was recalled following a health directive from health authorities. While 63 people were found to have been infected with the bacteria, only 17 were hospitalized for treatment.

17. JBS Tolleson Beef products

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When 26 states in the country had a Salmonella outbreak in 2018, authorities tracked the scandal to an Arizona-based meat company called JBS Tolleson. The company recalled 7 million pounds of meat, later increasing the number to 12 million when the cases surpassed the 200th mark. Thankfully, no one died from the contamination.

18. Hillandale eggs

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Eggs, when infected, can reach as many people’s tables as possible. One of the country’s deadliest Salmonella outbreaks came from eggs traced to two Iowa-based farms: The Wright farm and Hillandale farm. Despite recalling more than half a billion eggs from 14 states, over 1,900 people got sick from the contamination.

19. SoyNut butter

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In 2017, twelve states across America registered 32 infections of E. coli originating from contaminated peanut products. The company responsible was SoyNut Butter, well known for its nut-free granola and peanut substitutes. After recalling its product from the market, the company filed for bankruptcy owing to the financial mess that followed the crisis.

20. Hudson Meat

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In 1997, Hudson Meat Company was required to recall 25 million pounds of beef it had distributed to the market. The Department of Agriculture had discovered that their meat products were contaminated with E.coli. When 16 people were taken in sick, the Arkansas-based processor experienced financial losses including losing a Burger King deal.

21. Freshway Lettuce

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In 2010, the Ohio-based company was notified by the FDA to recall its Romaine lettuce from the market after failing safety tests. A sample of the Freshway Lettuce tested positive for E.coli in a New York laboratory. However, 26 people got sick after consuming the lettuce. Fortunately, there were no death casualties in the contamination scandal.

22. ConAgra meat

Image Source: USA Today

The Colorado-based company was forced to recall its meat products in 2002 after contamination by E. coli. Even though 19 million pounds of meat was targeted for recall, the Department of Agriculture reported that the meat had already gotten to some consumers’ tables. Nineteen people in six states were hospitalized after showing signs of E.coli infection.

23. Infected Cantaloupes

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Cantaloupes sourced from a farm called Chamberlain Farm Produce were recalled in 2012 after a directive from the FDA. According to health reports, the Cantaloupes were infected with Salmonella leading to the unfortunate deaths of three people who consumed them. Moreover, 231 people were infected with more than 90 hospitalized to receive treatment.

24. Natural Selection Spinach

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Natural Selection Foods is a company that supplies more than 70% of the nation’s groceries. Spinach they supplied was responsible for the outbreak of E.coli in September 2006, leaving more than 200 people infected and five people dying as a result. Although they recalled the spinach later that month, the damage had already been done.

25. The Peanut Corporation of America

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The Peanut Corporation of America was a major distributor of Peanut butter and other associated products before their doom came in 2009. Between 2008 and 2009, their products were responsible for a deadly Salmonella outbreak in the US and Canada. More than 700 people were infected and nine people died, despite recalling 3,600 products they distributed.

26. Recalling Pet food

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Menu Foods was forced to recall more than 60 million cans of pet food after 14 pets succumbed to Melamine poisoning. The company got into trouble over these traces of Melamine in their food because the FDA has banned its use during the preparation of both human and animal food. According to the agency, melamine can cause kidney complications.

27. Frescolina cheese

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Forever Cheese Inc. was denied license to import any more Frescolina cheese from Italy after an outbreak of Listeria infections. The CDC banned exporter Fattorie Chiarappa S.R.L from importing its products fearing more infections. The contamination caused four deaths and more than 20 hospitalizations across 13 states and the D.C.

28. Bon Vivant soup

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A banker and his wife were infected by Botulism after consuming Bon Vivant vichysoisse soup in 1971. The incident happened in New York, and Bon Vivant Inc. recalled more than 6000 cans of the product. Health authorities discovered that the bacteria was caused by toxins during the canning process. Unfortunately, the banker died from the poisoning.

29. Chicken from Foster farms

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March 2013 was a nightmare for Foster farms. When more than 600 cases of Salmonella infections were recorded across 29 states and in Puerto Rico, government agencies tracked the cases to contaminated chicken processed by the company. Although more than 200 people were hospitalized for treatment, there were no death cases resulting from the poisoning.

30. Infected Romaine lettuce

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An outbreak of E.coli was registered in eleven states on November 2018 after 32 people were found to have been infected. On inquiring where these bacteria came from, authorities found out that the victims had consumed various types of Romaine Lettuce. It was difficult to establish the actual source, but health officials instructed the public to dispose off the lettuce stocked in their refrigerators.