People don’t like hearing that a food item they bought or, even worse, have already eaten is being recalled. It’s always a little scary when something you bought and believed in is marked as possibly being contaminated.
Food recalls are necessary to keep people safe, even though they can be annoying. Companies quickly tell the public about problems when they find them, which is good. This month, Red’s All Natural put out a warning that people who shop at Costco should know about.
What Does a Food Recall Mean?
When a company recalls a food product, it informs customers that the product might have been contaminated or is otherwise not safe to eat.
Food is recalled when there are health risks, like when it’s contaminated with germs that are bad for you or has allergens that weren’t listed on the label. Even though these things can be scary, they’re a way to keep health problems from spreading.
Red’s All Natural recently had to cancel some Southwestern Grilled Chicken Mini Burritos because they might have Listeria. This recall comes after other recent food safety alerts, such as those from BrucePac and Hammond’s Candies, which were also about problems with contamination.
What You Need to Know About the Recall
Brent Heldt, who oversees quality food safety and regulatory compliance at Red’s All Natural, said the recall was happening. He stated that Listeria, a dangerous bacteria that can make you very sick, might be present in some packages of the Southwestern Grilled Chicken Mini Burritos sold at Costco.
Heldt says the pollution probably comes from one of the company’s suppliers, but no specifics about the source have been given yet.
The item number for the tainted mini sandwiches is 1850156, and they were sold at Costco stores from October 1, 2024, to October 10, 2024. It’s important to look for this item number on the package of any of these burritos that you just bought.
What Is Listeria, and Why Is It So Dangerous?
Listeria is a germ that can make you very sick. One of these is listeriosis. People with weak immune systems are more likely to get it, including young children, the elderly, and people with long-term health problems. Pregnant women are especially at risk because the infection can cause major problems like losing the baby or giving birth early.
When listeriosis is at its mildest, it can cause signs such as
- Fever
- Pain in the muscles
- Tiredness
But in the worst cases, it can lead to more major health problems like
- Headache
- Getting lost
- Not being able to balance
- Having seizures
Listeriosis can sometimes cause problems that are so bad they can kill you, especially if it gets to your nervous system. This is why any recall linked to Listeria needs to be taken very carefully. You should immediately see a doctor if you think you may have eaten infected food and have any of these signs.
What Do You Need to Do If You Have a Faulty Item?
If you find recalled Red’s Southwestern Grilled Chicken Mini Burritos in your freezer, do not eat them. Instead, give the item back to Costco and get your money back in full. Each package has a “Best By” date on the bottom, which makes it easy to see if your burritos are affected by the recall.
The company made it clear that this is a voluntary recall. This means that Red’s All Natural is protecting its customers from an overflow of caution. It’s unclear how many packages are affected, but the company is telling people who bought the product during the time frame to either return it or safely get rid of it.
Where Did the Contamination Come From?
Even though there aren’t any clear answers yet, Red’s All Natural has said that they think the pollution probably came from one of their sources. Food often gets contaminated with Listeria during the production or packing process, and it can be hard to find the exact source without much research.
The good news is that the company is taking the right steps to stop any harm from happening by quickly finding the problem and returning the products.
What Red’s All Natural is Doing About the Taking Back
In Brent Heldt’s message, the company told customers they were taking care of the problem and being honest about it. Even though food recalls are scary, they show that companies that make food want to keep people safe.
In this case, Red’s All Natural moved quickly to start the recall, and they are now working with Costco to ensure that the affected goods are taken off the shelves and that customers are told about the recall.
Red’s All Natural has set up a customer service line if you have any questions or worries. The phone line is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT, and people who work there can answer any specific questions about the recall.
Why Food Recalls Are Important for Keeping People Healthy
Food recalls are annoying, but they are necessary to keep people healthy. They show that companies are trying to monitor their goods to ensure safety. Companies can stop contaminated goods from hurting many people by recalling them. This also helps customers avoid the risks of eating harmful bugs or allergens.
Regarding your health, it’s always better to be safe than sorry, even if it’s annoying to throw away something you’ve already bought or start eating. Even if you haven’t been sick after eating some contaminated tacos, you should still look for any signs of sickness in the next few days, especially if you are in a high-risk group for listeriosis.
Conclusion
If you recently bought Red’s Southwestern Grilled Chicken Mini Burritos from Costco, please check your freezer for the affected packages. These burritos may have Listeria because they have the item number 1850156 and the Best By dates of March 27, 2026, April 1, 2026, April 2, 2026, or April 7, 2026.
You can return any of these items to Costco for a full refund or safely dispose of them if you find them. It’s not worth the chance to eat food that might be contaminated, especially since Listeria is very bad for your health.
There is a customer care line at Red’s All Natural that you can call if you have any more worries or questions. It’s important to the company that they work hard to fix this problem and protect customers. Remember that one important way to protect your health and safety is to stay updated about food recalls and move quickly when they happen.
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