In a significant food safety alert, Ventura Foods LLC has initiated a major recall of its salad dressings. The action comes after the discovery of foreign material in a key ingredient, prompting concerns for consumers across the United States.
Details of the Recall and Affected Products
The California-based food company is pulling 3,556 cases of various salad dressing products from the market. The issue was traced to black plastic planting material found within the granulated onion ingredient used in the dressings. The recall was officially set in motion on November 6, with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) later classifying it as a Class II recall on December 4. This classification indicates that while the products could cause temporary or medically reversible health problems, the probability of serious adverse consequences is low.
The recall spans several popular brands and package sizes, including items sold at major retailers like Costco and Publix. Consumers should check their pantries for the following products with the specified SKU codes:
- Italian Salad Dressing (1 gallon) — SKU: 7 67367 00518 4
- Creamy Poblano Avocado Ranch Dressing and Dip (1 gallon) — SKU: 7 34730 53243 1
- Ventura Caesar Dressing (2,000 pound) — SKU: 00 026700 17360 8
- Pepper Mill Regal Caesar Dressing (1 gallon) — SKU: 0 93901 72607 0
- Pepper Mill Creamy Caesar Dressing (1 gallon) — SKU: 0 93901 78134 5
- Caesar Dressing (Costco Service Deli) (23.62 pound) — SKU: 0 26700 19376 7
- Caesar Dressing (Costco Food Court) (32 pound) — SKU: 0 26700 19376 7
- Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch (1 gallon) — SKU: 0 26700 19192 3
Distribution and Retailer Response
The potentially contaminated dressings were distributed to a wide range of states. The list includes Texas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Washington, Colorado, and Oregon, among others nationwide.
Retail giant Costco acted swiftly, issuing its own customer notice on November 7. The notice specifically warns members to stop consuming certain prepared items that contain the affected dressing. The impacted Costco products are:
- Item #19927 Caesar Salad
- Item #11444 Chicken Sandwich with Caesar Salad
These items have sell-by dates ranging from October 17, 2025, to November 9, 2025. Costco has advised customers to return the products to any warehouse for a complete refund.
What Consumers Need to Do
If you have purchased any of the listed salad dressings, the FDA and the company urge you to stop using them immediately. The recommended course of action is to return the product to the store where it was bought to receive a full refund. For more detailed information, consumers can reach out to Ventura Foods directly or visit the official FDA website for recall updates.
This salad dressing recall underscores the importance of robust quality control in food manufacturing and highlights the critical role of regulatory bodies like the FDA in monitoring food safety. Consumers are encouraged to stay informed about such alerts to protect their health.
