Thousands of cases of salad dressing have been recalled in the US after “foreign objects” were discovered in the products, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The recall involves items produced by California-based Ventura Foods and affects dressings distributed to retailers nationwide.
According to an FDA report, Ventura Foods initiated the recall on 6 November, and it was later classified as a “class II” recall on 4 December. This designation indicates that using or being exposed to the affected products could cause temporary and medically reversible health effects. These products were shipped to retailers across the US, including Costco.
The recall covers more than 3,500 cases of salad dressing, including the popular Hidden Valley Ranch brand. The FDA said “black plastic planting material” was found in granulated onion used in the dressings.
The recalled varieties include Italian Salad Dressing, Creamy Poblano Avocado Ranch Dressing and Dip, Ventura Caesar Dressing, Pepper Mill Regal Caesar Dressing, Pepper Mill Creamy Caesar Dressing, and Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch.
All recalled products are the 1-gallon container size, or otherwise service deli-sized bottles. Regular grocery store-sized products do not appear to be affected.
The FDA said the products were distributed to seven retailers operating across 42 locations in multiple states. Those states include Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. In addition, one customer in Costa Rica also received the affected product.
A spokesperson for Hidden Valley said that shoppers were not affected by retail products sold in stores. “No Hidden Valley Ranch products sold in stores to consumers are included in the voluntary recall,” the spokesperson told NBC Chicago in a statement. “A professional Hidden Valley Original Buttermilk Ranch Dressing & Dip (one-gallon size), intended solely for food service and that was never distributed, was listed in a voluntary recall initiated by Ventura Foods, a third-party partner that manufactures this product.”
Consumers who may have bought any of the contaminated items are advised not to consume them and to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Itis possible that because some of these products were supplied to deli and food-service counters, the contaminated dressing may have been used to make ready-to-eat meals, even if those meals were not manufactured by Ventura Foods.
