The Biggest Produce Recalls In US History

As society changes and Americans eat healthier, garden-fresh produce is once again becoming a mainstay on the menu. In the past 40 years, crisp salads, sweet fruit dishes, and imaginative garnishes are being consumed at an ever-increasing rate, with folks partaking in this more nourishing fare from breakfast right on through late night. But with this fresh interest in healthy eating comes increased risk. Fruits and vegetables are more likely to become contaminated than any other type of food. And while overall food recalls fell sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic, they are on the rise again, especially in the produce category.

The first major recall of food in the United States was in 1973, when over 75 million cans of mushrooms packaged by the United Canning Company were removed from store shelves and restaurants due to a suspected contamination of botulism — a poison that can cause a rare and potentially fatal disease for those who consume it. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspected thousands of swollen cans and confirmed the toxin's presence.

Since then, measures have been put into place to reduce the frequency of contaminations in the produce supply chain. Procedures such as proper sanitation, product rotation, and temperature control all have positive effects on our food. But with missteps such as improper food handling, uneven temperature control, and contaminated water still rampant in the industry, we face more incidents each year. With that in mind, let's take a look at some of the biggest and most wide-ranging produce recalls in U.S. history.

Technically classified as a legume and considered a vegetable, the FDA includes peanuts in its definition of produce, and there's been no bigger produce recall than Peanut Corporation of America's massive $1 billion incident in 2009. Lasting over three months and affecting a whopping 3,913 products, this small peanut processing plant from Georgia introduced salmonella-tainted peanuts into the food chain, killing nine people while causing serious illnesses in over 700 more, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). All told, the peanut products of over 360 companies in 46 states were affected and had to be recalled.

Fortunately for the peanut butter industry, giant brands such as Peter Pan and Jif were spared, but the damage was done. Overall peanut butter sales were down as much as 25% in the ensuing years, largely due to consumer perception and anxiety over the recall. The Parnell brothers, owners of the Peanut Corporation of America plant, were reportedly aware of the salmonella poisoning in advance of the company shipping its peanut product to customers. Ultimately, company executive Stewart Parnell was convicted of knowingly shipping contaminated peanut butter and sentenced to 28 years in prison for his part in the cover-up.

The company's tainted product resulted in the deadliest salmonella outbreak in years and caused one of the largest food recalls in American history. Although major peanut butter jar brands were spared, shelf staples such as Keebler crackers, Famous Amos cookies, and major airline snacks were all affected by the recall.

Known for their role in Asian cuisine and cultivated there for centuries, enoki mushrooms have blossomed in popularity in the U.S. in recent years. These crunchy, mild-tasting fungi are found in soups, salads, and stir-fries. Low in calories and high in fiber, they have become a culinary favorite, but their quick growth in America has not come without consequences. In 2020, Sun Hong Foods distribution company recalled its mushrooms after sickening over 30 people in 17 states.

Various samples of enoki mushrooms that were labeled "Product of Korea" were identified as causing listeria infections in those who fell ill. In interviews by the FDA, it was determined that the mushrooms were purchased and consumed in multiple business locations, including grocery stores, restaurants, and local markets. Enoki mushrooms were also the subject of yet another listeria breakout in 2022. Because of this, the FDA and several state health boards have substantially increased the testing requirements on imported mushrooms.

Enoki mushrooms come with a much higher risk of contamination than many other produce products, especially since most are imported from overseas. The FDA recommends washing hands, utensils, and cutting boards thoroughly while preparing dishes containing this variety of mushrooms. Additionally, unlike some other types of edible fungi, enoki mushrooms should be cooked carefully and completely during meal preparation.

In 2006, there was a spinach recall that involved over half of the country. In September of that year, the FDA announced that consumers should avoid eating bagged spinach due to an outbreak of illness from contamination with the potentially deadly bacterium Escherichia coli, known commonly as E. coli.

Soon after the CDC received notice of a foodborne illness in Wisconsin, public health officials linked the outbreak to bagged spinach. The FDA quickly announced that consumers should not eat bagged spinach, and later that week expanded its warning to all fresh spinach. At that time, it was the first such announcement that the agency had ever made concerning a U.S.-based fruit or vegetable. One brand of bagged spinach stood out in the agency's research — those produced by Natural Selection Foods. This firm packed spinach products for about 30 companies, including baby spinach for Dole, a key brand in the fresh spinach market. It was eventually identified as the only contaminated product, but the damage was done.

All told, over 200 people became ill from the contamination across 26 states and the country of Canada. Over 100 were hospitalized, including many with kidney-specific ailments that caused life-threatening issues. Ultimately, three people died.

One of the deadliest outbreaks of foodborne illness in the U.S. was linked to a Colorado cantaloupe farm in 2011. Twenty-eight states spanning from New York to California were affected, killing 33 people and sickening 147 others, including one woman who miscarried her unborn child. There were over 40 cases reported in Colorado alone. Over 99% of those infected were hospitalized. It was the deadliest foodborne outbreak in almost 30 years.

The widespread listeria contamination that originated at Jensen Farms began when owners Eric and Ryan Jensen began washing the ranch's cantaloupes with devices normally operated to clean potatoes yet failing to use the chlorine spray feature that kills deadly listeria bacteria. In addition to the unsanitary conditions of its old, hard-to-clean harvesting equipment, the ranch was found to have contaminated water on the plant floor. These conditions served to create an environment that was ripe for listeria contamination.

Jensen Farms filed for bankruptcy the next year when the Jensen brothers pled guilty to numerous charges, including adulteration of a food, and served years behind bars. Since the 2011 recall, fresh cantaloupe sales have trended downward, with per capita sales in the U.S. dropping from 8 pounds to about 5 ½ pounds. Most industry experts relate this drop in consumption to the huge recall.

In 2023, a recall for fresh peaches, nectarines, and plums was issued for fruits produced at HMC Farms in Kingsburg, California. The listeria contamination was widespread, with grocery store and big-box chains such as Meijer, Walmart, and Sam's Club reportedly selling bad packaged and individual fruit alike from 2022 to 2023. Additional contaminated product was found at convenience stores and produce stands.

While most stone fruits such as these are generally considered at minimal risk for foodborne illnesses, they can become contaminated with listeria when improperly managed. Contact with this pathogen can cause listeriosis, the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness. It was the third listeria outbreak in 2023 alone, infecting product in 26 states.

In November of 2023, HMC Farms issued a voluntary recall of its peaches, nectarines, and plums and urged consumers to check their freezers for previously purchased fruit and to discard it immediately. Unfortunately, the damage had already been done, with a dozen serious illnesses and one death being blamed on the unsanitary products.

Late 2022 saw the first of two waves of a company's produce contamination recalls when alfalfa sprouts grown and packaged by Sun Sprouts, a Nebraska-based brand, were found to contain traces of salmonella. The recalled packages of raw sprouts had been distributed largely in grocery stores in the central Midwest in small cellophane bags. Two months later, after repeated requests and interventions from the FDA, additional illnesses were traced to the contaminated products and Sun Sprouts was cited for failing to clean and sanitize its harvesting and packing surfaces. FDA investigators even noted such alarming conditions as "significant filth on the irrigation nozzles" during an inspection.

Alfalfa sprouts are grown in warm, moist environments ripe for contamination, then are usually consumed raw — the perfect combination to foster foodborne illness. They are a challenge to grow safely and have a history of serious outbreaks, causing thousands of illnesses that date back a decade or more. To that end, the CDC strongly recommends that people who are pregnant, older, or have weakened immune systems avoid them altogether.

When the dust settled and all recalls had been made, 63 illnesses were found to be related to Sun Sprouts' product contamination and 10 consumers were hospitalized. Fortunately, no deaths have been attributed to this outbreak.

As recently as the fall of 2024, E. coli bacteria were found to be infecting carrots. Bagged organic whole and baby carrots producer Grimmway Farms was linked to an outbreak in 19 states that affected 48 people, causing serious illness accompanied by violent vomiting, severe stomach cramps, and high fever. One person died from symptoms related to the carrot contamination.

Unlike many of the produce recalls in the past decades, the Grimmway Farms organic carrot recall affected many of the larger grocery store chains such as Target, Walmart, and Trader Joe's. After the FDA and CDC investigated the outbreak, they expanded the recall to include additional bag sizes. Ultimately, the recall grew to include the entire U.S., Puerto Rico, and Canada. It was designated a Class I notification by the FDA — an assignment used in serious situations.

Consumption of organic produce has its pros and cons. Many folks enjoy organically grown products because they tend to contain less preservatives, less pesticide residue, and often contain a higher vitamin and mineral content than their non-organic counterparts. However, studies have shown that organic produce can be up to five times more likely to contain E. coli bacteria than non-organic produce.

The 2013 Townsend Farms pomegranate seed recall was unique in two ways. First, the contaminant was hepatitis A — a highly contagious liver infection that spreads from person to person through the ingestion of contaminated food and is not as common as listeria or salmonella as a foodborne pathogen. Even more interestingly, the pomegranate seeds that were affected were packaged for sale in the frozen food section. Contrary to widespread belief, pathogens such as hepatitis A can survive in below zero temperatures.

The pomegranate seeds were found in bags that were mixed with berries to form the basis of a healthy antioxidant drink. The product was a big seller in such busy stores as Costco and Harris Teeter. Although no fresh pomegranates were found to be infected with the recall, the seeds themselves were imported from Turkey, indicated by pathogen's 1B genotype which is rarely seen in the U.S. It's expected that unsanitary water conditions contributed to the contamination, as hepatitis A is often carried in a damp, unclean environment.

Later that year, Scenic Fruit Company of Oregon also recalled its Woodstock Frozen Organic Pomegranate Kernels because of potential hepatitis A virus contamination. Ultimately, 165 people throughout 10 states were confirmed to have become ill from the frozen pomegranate seeds, although fortunately no deaths were reported.

Although it's typical to think of produce purchases coming from grocery stores or farmers markets, there's an abundance of it that's served up by restaurants and fast food joints. In late 2024, McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburgers were temporarily removed from the menu in 13 states due to E. coli contamination linked to the slivered onions used on the sandwich. As a safety precaution, many fast food chains removed onions from menu items while the FDA investigated the cause of the E. coli contamination.

The situation was traced back to Taylor Farms, an entity that partners with over 100 family farmers to supply onions to huge fast food partners such as Burger King and Taco Bell. In a 2024 inspection, the FDA found that the Taylor Farms facility in Colorado Springs had many food safety shortcomings, including dirty equipment and food buildup on appliances. The FDA also claimed to find numerous areas that could support the growth of pathogens, including production rooms with warm temperatures that could contribute to the contamination. Additionally, dirty equipment had biofilm and food debris built-up on it.

This wasn't the first time that Taylor Farms had been involved with a pathogen outbreak. In 2015, it recalled a celery and onion mix used in Costco chicken salads after 19 people were sickened by E. coli. The CDC reported numerous illnesses associated with the 2024 outbreak, including more than 90 illnesses, 34 hospitalizations, and one death across 14 states.

While most outbreaks of potential poisoning involve one manufacturer with dubious habits, the cucumber recall of 2024 involves multiple companies. Grower Agrotato SA de CV out of Sonora Mexico recalled shipments of its cucumbers grown in Mexico and shipped to American importers SunFed Produce and Baloian Farms for processing and additional sales. Other Mexican growers exported thousands of cases of product as well. Unfortunately, many of the cucumbers were found to have salmonella contamination and were shipped to 23 states as far away as Alaska.

Most of the cucumbers sold and shipped by companies such as SunFed and Baloian were of the sliced variety, grown and cultivated to lend ease to their use in sushi, salads, and more. Many of these are prepackaged and do not usually get additional cleaning from the destination store or restaurant, adding to the possibility of contagion ingestion. By the end of the year, 113 people had become ill from the infected Agrotato cucumbers, including 28 who were hospitalized.

Since 2017, Mann's Packing Company has issued numerous recalls on many of its minimally processed produce offerings, affecting the end use of over 70 different food products throughout the years. Raw foods such as salad blends, cut vegetables, and vegetable trays have joined products such as hot bar items and vegetable-based frozen foods on the list of recalled items.

The largest of these recalls was in 2019, when the company took the unusual step of issuing a voluntary recall of a frighteningly wide range of produce throughout the U.S. and Canada due to the potential contamination of listeria. This time around it was vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower, most with store-specific name brands. Contamination of these products, sold in stores such as Walmart, Whole Foods Market, and Albertsons, disrupted the produce supply chain throughout the western U.S.

The scope of the recalls puts the Mann's Packing Company high on the list of the biggest recalls in U.S. history. Fortunately, largely due to the advent of preemptive voluntary recalls and a spirit of cooperation with the FDA, there are currently no reports of illnesses or deaths related to any of the contaminations.