Why Certain Cheerios Products Suffered A Massive Recall In 2015

Food recalls are serious business not to be undertaken lightly. Even the biggest names in the food world sometimes have to issue them in the name of quality, safety, or other factors. This includes the iconic cereal brand Cheerios, a product consumed by everyone from young children to busy college students to senior citizens. Just under a decade ago, owner General Mills initiated one affecting 1.8 million boxes for a reason that may surprise some. 

In an October 2015 tweet, Cheerios wrote that the company was "embarrassed and sorry to share" that wheat flour was accidentally introduced into the otherwise oat-based system at a production facility in Lodi, California. This flour potentially made its way into boxes of original and Honey Nut Cheerios produced the previous July.

Although it's not a significant issue for the vast majority of Cheerios lovers, it's a major concern for one group: those with celiac disease, wheat allergies, or other gluten intolerance. When consuming even a small amount of gluten (a protein found in wheat flour), these groups suffer symptoms ranging from gastrointestinal issues to vomiting, brain fog, and even long-term intestinal damage. Cheerios is labeled a gluten-free cereal, meaning it's typically safe for people with those conditions to enjoy. Unfortunately, that wasn't true for these boxes, leading to the recall.

To be sure, Cheerios probably wasn't just conducting this expensive and difficult recall out of pure concern for its customers. Federal law requires common allergens like wheat to be specifically noted on food labels, allowing those sensitive to certain ingredients to easily avoid them. Naturally, labels on the recalled, contaminated boxes didn't include this critical information. The statement from Cheerios didn't say exactly how the contamination happened, other than calling it an "isolated incident," and promised changes had been made to prevent similar issues in the future.

When it was all said and done, it was among the biggest recalls in General Mills' history. The incident also busted a myth about Cheerios: that it's easy to avoid gluten in products simply by using naturally gluten-free oats. Oats are often processed on the same equipment that processes gluten-containing grains, potentially introducing the allergen into the final product at small but significant levels. That's why companies like General Mills need to develop specific processes to ensure their oats are actually free of gluten. In any case, Cheerio lovers sensitive to wheat can take heart in the fact that the company takes its commitment to gluten-free products as seriously as its customers do.