Costco and Publix have stopped distributing thousands of cases of sauces and salad dressings after the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning over potential contamination. 

What's happening?

As detailed by People, Ventura Foods recalled 4,000 sauces and salad dressings sold at Costco and Publix after discovering that certain batches may contain a black plastic material in granulated onion. Prepackaged meals may be contaminated, since the manufacturer delivered the products directly to deli and food-service counters. 

The FDA determined that 42 sites across Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, 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 received the products.

Why is this important?

Finding a foreign object in food is enough to ruin anyone's appetite — and it can be dangerous, potentially causing internal injuries if ingested. 

While the FDA classified this as a Class II recall — meaning "the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote" — instances of suspected plastic contamination aren't uncommon. In Ireland, shoppers were on high alert after a recall of porridge oats. An American company recently recalled more than 120,000 pounds of barbecue pulled pork products.  

Reliance on plastic in the food industry comes with other concerns as well. One study found thousands of toxic chemicals from food packaging in human samples, including breast milk. Some of these "food-contact chemicals" included known carcinogens and PFAS — widely known as "forever chemicals" due to their ability to persist in nature and build up in our bodies.  

What's being done about this?

Customers can return affected products to their place of purchase for a refund. 

Publix Deli Carolina-Style Mustard BBQ Sauce (Lot B28725); Costco Food Court Caesar Dressing (Best by March 4, 2026); Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch (Lot MFG102725H, intended solely for food-service professionals, per News Channel 9); and Pepper Mill Creamy Caesar Dressing (Lot H29025) were among the items subject to recall.  

More broadly, using less plastic can help reduce your exposure to hazardous manufacturing chemicals and minimize the risk of plastic ingestion. Like forever chemicals, microplastics can remain in our bodies and are linked to health complications. Try swapping plastic food containers, which shed microplastics at an accelerated rate when heated, for glass or silicone.

Do you worry about having toxic forever chemicals in your home? Majorly 😥 Sometimes 😟 Not really 😐 I don't know enough about them 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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