A growing wave of food recalls tied to a potentially contaminated dairy ingredient is expanding to include white cheddar seasoning products, pita chips, and chocolate bars, according to multiple notices released by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and companies involved.
The recalls stem from a milk powder ingredient supplied by California Dairies, Inc., which has been linked to possible Salmonella contamination and used in a range of seasoning blends and foods.
Jonco Industries, Inc. is recalling certain consumer-sized white cheddar seasoning products sold under the Williams Sonoma and Fireworks Popcorn brands after being alerted by its supplier to the potential risk, according to a May 8
FDA notice. The affected items include seasoning in popcorn gift sets and standalone jars with specific lot codes. The company said it stopped distribution and placed the remaining inventory on hold, and no illnesses have been reported.
Similarly, Legacy Snack Solutions
announced last week a voluntary recall of Giant Eagle Baked Pita Chips with Parmesan, Garlic & Herb due to the same concern. The chips were sold in several Midwestern and Mid-Atlantic states. Although testing of the seasoning blend used on the chips did not detect Salmonella, the company said the recall was issued “out of an abundance of caution” because the seasoning contained the implicated milk powder.
The list of affected foods also now includes chocolate products. On May 8, Spring & Mulberry
expanded a prior recall of select chocolate bars after identifying a potentially contaminated ingredient used in production. The company said all finished products tested negative for Salmonella and no illnesses have been confirmed, but it is recalling items linked to a specific lot of ingredients identified during an investigation.
These recalls come days apart from earlier actions involving snack mixes, popcorn seasonings, cheese curds, and other products. John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. recently
recalled multiple snack mixes sold under brands such as Fisher, Southern Style Nuts, Squirrel Brand, and Target’s Good & Gather label after discovering a seasoning ingredient containing the recalled milk powder.
Additional recalls tied to the same issue include flavored popcorn seasoning sold by
JCB Flavors, LLC, and sour cream and onion cheese curds distributed in New York by
Stoltzfus Family Dairy. Both companies said no illnesses have been reported and that testing of finished products did not detect contamination, but they moved forward with recalls as a precaution.
Health officials warn that Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, particularly among young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. Symptoms typically include fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, and in rare cases the infection can spread to the bloodstream and lead to more severe conditions such as arterial infections, endocarditis, and arthritis.
Across the recalls, companies have highlighted that the actions are preventive and tied to a shared upstream ingredient rather than confirmed contamination in the finished products. Many said routine or third-party testing of final products showed no presence of Salmonella.
Consumers are being urged not to eat affected products and to return them for refunds or dispose of them. Customer service lines have been set up by manufacturers to address questions.
Federal regulators continue to monitor the situation as more companies identify links to the recalled milk powder ingredient and take action to remove potentially affected products from store shelves.
