Several thousand packages of oyster crackers are being recalled after a food manufacturer detected the possibility of contamination involving “foreign material.”
Ohio-based food manufacturer Shearer’s Foods, LLC initiated the recall on Feb. 21.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) upgraded the recall to Class II, its second-highest risk classification.
Class II recalls involve products that “may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.”
The recall pertains to certain batches of Market Pantry (Target), Great Value (Walmart), Giant Eagle, and VISTA-brand oyster crackers, in addition to a bulk variety not intended for retail sale.
Some 15,874 cases have been recalled, per the FDA.
The following products are affected:
- Market Pantry Soup & Oyster Crackers with a UPC code of 085239114933; a sell-by date of 23 MAY 2025 and a code date of 23MAY2025BC06
- Great Value Soup & Oyster Crackers with a UPC code of 078742085494; a sell-by date of MAY 23 2025 and code dates of MAY 23 2025 ABO6, MAY 23 2025 BBO6, MAY 23 2025 CBO6
- Giant Eagle Oyster Crackers with a UPC code of 030034915087; a best-by date of MAY 24 2025, and a code date of MAY 24 25 AB06.
- VISTA Soup & Oyster Crackers with a UPC code of 045100008006; a best-by date of MAY 24 2025 and a code date of MAY 24 25 AB06.
- 20lb. Bulk Oyster Crackers with a UPC code of 10045100400203; a best-by date of MAY 24 2025; and code dates of MAY 24 25 AB06, MAY 24 25 BB06.
The recalled products were sold in the following states: Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.
Officials did not release details about how the products were potentially contaminated, but the FDA notice referenced “stainless steel wire” as being the culprit.
Consumers are encouraged to return the affected products to the place of purchase for a refund or exchange.
Metal contamination is not unheard of in food recalls.
Last month, over two million MadeGood granola bars were recalled “due to the potential presence of a piece of metal in the product, which, if consumed, may result in a safety hazard,” according to the manufacturer.
In January, ALDI’s Casa Mamita Chicken & Cheese Taquitos were also recalled over fears of metal contamination.
The budget grocery chain told consumers to “discard [the affected products] immediately or return [them] to their local store for a full refund.”
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
