Product recalls are becoming more common in the U.S.: The number of recalled products reached a five-year high last year, according to a recent report, with around 3,300 recalls reported across the automotive, consumer product, food and drink, medical device and pharmaceutical industries.
Companies generally issue voluntary recalls after they learn that a batch of products has been contaminated or poses a safety risk. For consumers, it can be difficult to keep track of the various recalls issued on popular products — and determine whether any items you bought are affected.
The list below rounds up some of the biggest recalls affecting the public right now.
Ground cinnamon
The Food and Drug Administration warned on Wednesday about elevated lead levels in six ground cinnamon products. The list includes La Fiesta, from La Superior SuperMercados; Marcum, from Save A Lot; MK, from SF Supermarket; Swad, from Patel Brothers; Supreme Tradition, from Dollar Tree & Family Dollar; and Eli Chilar, from La Joya Morelense. A Dollar Tree spokesperson said the company had removed Supreme Tradition cinnamon from its stores.
An FDA spokesperson said there was no known link to a recall of lead-tainted cinnamon applesauce pouches last year.
Johnsonville Polish Kielbasa Turkey Sausages
A distributor of Johnsonville meat products is recalling 35,430 pounds of Polish kielbasa turkey sausages after consumers reported finding pieces of rubber in the products.
There have been no reports of health issues.
In a statement on its website, Johnsonville said it had communicated with its retail partners to remove the affected sausages, which have best-by dates of May 2024, from store shelves.
Trader Joe’s soup dumplings
A California manufacturer is recalling nearly 62,000 pounds of frozen chicken soup dumplings sold at Trader Joe’s stores after consumers reported finding hard plastic in the food. The U.S. Agriculture Department said Saturday that the dumplinags may have been contaminated by a permanent marker pen. No illnesses have been reported.
“We voluntarily take action quickly, aggressively investigating potential problems and removing the product from sale if there is any doubt about its safety or quality,” a Trader Joe’s spokesperson told NBC News.
Cinnamon applesauce pouches
As of Feb. 23, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had received 468 reports of elevated blood lead levels linked to cinnamon applesauce pouches, including 111 confirmed cases. The source of the lead contamination is likely cinnamon from a processor in Ecuador, according to the FDA. The agency said on Feb. 29 that the cinnamon contained lead chromate, a pigment illegally added to spices to increase their weight or enhance their color.
Three brands have recalled the children’s snack: Wanabana pulled its Apple Cinnamon Fruit Puree Pouches from shelves in October, while Weis and the supermarket brand Schnucks followed suit in November.
Jeep Grand Cherokees
Chrysler is recalling more than 338,000 Jeep Grand Cherokees because of potentially faulty steering components. Affected models include 2021-2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee LS and 2022-2023 Jeep Grand Cherokees.
In a letter dated Feb. 24 on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website, Chrysler said the steering knuckles and part of the upper control arms — which are supposed to attach together — may in fact separate, which could cause the vehicles to lose control.
Chrysler said it is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to the affected models.
Eye ointments
Four types of eye ointment were recalled on Feb. 26 due to concerns that they were manufactured in an unsanitary facility. The products — Equate Lubricant Eye Ointment, Equate Stye Lubricant Eye Ointment, CVS Health Lubricant Eye Ointment and AACE Pharmaceuticals’ Lubricant PM Ointment — were sold nationwide in some Walmart and CVS stores. They have expiration dates ranging from February 2024 to September 2025.
Brassica Pharma Pvt. Ltd., the manufacturer, said in a statement that the potential contamination could lead to eye infections, though no such issues had been reported as of Feb. 16.
The recall is separate from a cluster of bacterial infections linked to contaminated eyedrops, which led to the recall of two brands — EzriCare Artificial Tears and Delsam Pharma’s Artificial Tears — last year. The FDA has also warned people not to use 28 additional eyedrop products after investigators found unsanitary conditions in a facility where the drops were manufactured.
Certain Volkswagen Group models
Volkswagen Group, which makes Volkswagen and Audi vehicles, among others, recalled approximately 261,000 vehicles over potentially faulty fuel tank suction pumps. A host of models are affected, including some Audi A3, VW Jetta and VW Golf vehicles with model years 2015 to 2020.
Volkswagen warned last month that due to issues with a suction jet pump seal, “fuel may flow into a separate evaporative (EVAP) emissions system and possibly leak out of the charcoal canister.” A fuel leak can increase fire risks and potentially damage a vehicle or harm its occupants.
Queso fresco and cotija cheese
The FDA is warning people not to eat dairy products including queso fresco and cotija cheese that were manufactured by Rizo López Foods, a food supplier in Modesto, California. The CDC has linked 26 listeria infections to the products, with cases reported from June 2014 to December 2023. The agencies reopened an investigation in January after new illnesses were reported and a cotija cheese sample tested positive for listeria.
Listeria bacteria can cause serious illness; of the people who got infections, 23 were hospitalized and two died.
To date, more than 115 products made by Rizo López Foods or that contain the manufacturer’s dairy products have been recalled, including taco kits, wraps and meals sold at stores like Albertsons, Costco and Safeway. Most recently, Rico Brand recalled its ready-to-eat enchiladas made with queso fresco on Feb. 22.
Edwin Rizo, CEO of Rizo López Foods, said in a statement that the company is working to find the cause of the problem.
“We regret the impact this has had on our loyal customers who have had to recall their products containing cheese we supplied to them,” Rizo said. “We have always aimed to provide safe, high-quality products.”
Gun safes
Four companies have collectively recalled more than 120,000 biometric gun safes sold by Amazon, Walmart and other major retailers. The safes unlock by scanning a part of the owner’s body such as a fingerprint. But the Consumer Product Safety Commission is aware of 91 reports of unauthorized users opening the safes.
The recall, issued Feb. 22, includes around 60,000 Awesafe safes, more than 33,000 Bulldog safes, nearly 25,000 Machir safes. BBRKIN also recalled 2,200 safes sold on Amazon after a report of a 6-year-old boy opening the product.
CPSC Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric told NBC News that the commission heightened its scrutiny of gun safes after a lawsuit filed in August alleged that a 12-year-old boy died from a firearm obtained from a biometric safe. The CPSC recalled those safes in October.
Bulldog’s vice president, Brandon Rutledge, said in a statement that “the problems have stemmed from people not programming the safes at all, or not programming them properly.”
Toshiba laptop adapters
Dynabook — formerly known as Toshiba — recalled 15.5 million AC laptop adapters on Feb. 21 over concerns about burn and fire risks. Information posted to the CPSC website showed Dynabook had received 679 reports of the affected adapters overheating, catching fire, melting or burning over a period of more than a decade. This included 43 reports of minor burn injuries.
The recalled products were included in the purchase of Toshiba laptops and also sold separately, and have date codes from April 2008 to December 2012.
‘Gas station heroin’
Two distributors have recalled Neptune’s Fix supplements sold at gas stations and vape or smoke shops, amid reports that the products may cause seizures, loss of consciousness and death. The supplements contain tianeptine, a substance nicknamed “gas station heroin,” and are sold with false claims of improving brain function and helping with anxiety, depression, pain or opioid use disorder. However, tianeptine is not FDA-approved for any use.
A Jan. 11 letter the FDA sent to gas stations, convenience stores and other retailers asked them to stop selling Neptune’s Fix and other tianeptine products. Since then, Neptune Resources, LLC has recalled Neptune’s Fix elixirs and tablets, and Super Chill Products — another distributor — has recalled its elixirs, as well.
Garment steamers
Two million handheld fabric steamers were recalled on Feb. 8 following reports of burn injuries from hot water spraying out of the nozzle. The steamers, sold by the brands Steamfast, Vornado and Sharper Image, were sold at Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond and Amazon. According to the CPSC, Vornado has received 23 reports of burn injuries related to the issue.
Magnetic ball sets
DailySale, the seller of a 216-piece magnetic ball set, recalled the product on Feb. 1 due to concerns about children ingesting the high-powered magnets. Another company, Joybuy, recalled a similar product, which was sold at Walmart, at the end of last year.
If children swallow more than one high-powered magnet, they can attract and pinch body tissue, causing internal bleeding, twisting or blockages in the intestines, infection or death. The CPSC recorded 2,400 emergency room visits for magnet ingestions from 2017 through 2021, as well as seven deaths since 2005.
Philips breathing machines
Since the medical technology giant Philips recalled some of its breathing machines in 2021, more than 560 deaths have been reported that may be linked to them. Most recently, the FDA said it received 111 reports of deaths from July 1 to Sept. 30, 2023.
The recalled machines include certain ventilators, as well as BiPAP and CPAP machines used to treat sleep apnea. The foam used in the machines can break down, leading users to breathe chemicals or foam particles into their airways, the FDA said. Philips announced in January that it would not sell new devices for sleep apnea in the U.S. as part of a legal agreement with the FDA and the Department of Justice.
A Philips representative said the company has not found conclusive data linking the devices to the deaths reported.
Quaker Oats products
More than 60 Quaker products have been recalled since Dec. 15 due to potential contamination with salmonella bacteria. The products include certain flavors of Cap’n Crunch and Oatmeal Squares cereals, some Gatorade protein bars and some batches of Quaker Chewy granola bars and Quaker granola cereals. The Quaker Oats Company announced the latest of these recalls, the now-discontinued Quaker Chewy Dipps Llama Rama bars, on Jan. 31.
2003 to 2005 Toyota models
In January, Toyota warned owners of around 50,000 cars not to drive them due to concerns that the airbags could malfunction and explode. The affected cars include the 2003-2004 Corolla, 2003-2004 Corolla Matrix and model year 2004-2005 RAV4s.
Toyota said in a statement that the age of the vehicles makes it more likely that an airbag deployment could cause serious injury.
The advisory is linked to the Takata airbag recall that has affected tens of millions of vehicles since 2013 and which now comprises the largest recall in automotive history.
