A significant food safety alert has been issued in the United States, impacting popular salad dressings found in major retail chains. Food manufacturer Ventura Foods LLC has initiated a large-scale voluntary recall of its products after discovering potentially hazardous foreign material.
Scope and Cause of the Recall
The company is pulling back a substantial 3,556 cases of various salad dressings from circulation. The decision came after an internal investigation identified the presence of "black plastic planting material" within a specific ingredient: granulated onion. This plastic contamination poses a potential health risk if consumed.
The affected products were distributed widely, reaching shelves in 42 different states across the country. Major retailers involved in the recall include wholesale giant Costco and supermarket chain Publix, among others.
List of Affected Products and States
Consumers are advised to check their refrigerators for the following specific dressings, which are part of this recall notice:
- Pepper Mill Creamy Caesar Dressing
- Italian Salad Dressing
- Caesar Dressing (Costco Food Court)
- Hidden Valley, Buttermilk Ranch (one-gallon food service size only)
- Ventura Caesar Dressing
- Creamy Poblano Avocado Ranch Dressing and Dip
- Pepper Mill Regal Caesar Dressing
- Caesar Dressing (Costco Service Deli)
The recall spans a broad geographic area. The impacted states are:
Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Clarifications from Brands and Retailer Response
In a statement quoted by Today.com, a spokesperson for the well-known brand Hidden Valley Ranch provided crucial clarification. They confirmed that no Hidden Valley Ranch products sold directly to consumers in stores are included in this recall. The affected item is a one-gallon "professional" size of Hidden Valley Original Buttermilk Ranch Dressing & Dip, intended solely for food service channels. This product was manufactured by Ventura Foods, a third-party partner.
Costco has proactively issued its own recall notice to its members. The warehouse club urged customers to "stop eating" the flagged products immediately and return them to any Costco warehouse for a full refund.
The Costco recall specifically involves:
- Item# 19927 Caesar Salad
- Item# 11444 Chicken Sandwich w/ Caesar Salad
These items have "Sell By" dates ranging from October 17, 2025, to November 9, 2025. The recall is precautionary due to the possible presence of the plastic material in the salad dressing component of these prepared foods.
This incident, reported by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), underscores the importance of robust quality control in food supply chains. Consumers who have purchased any of the listed products are strongly advised to discontinue use and follow the return instructions provided by the retailers.
