Trader Joe’s Has A Rocky Situation: Popular Grocery Store Chain Issues Fourth Recall This Month

Trader Joe’s has issued its fourth recall within a month, citing potential metal contamination. The popular grocery store on Aug. 17 announced the recall of Trader Joe’s Multigrain Crackers with Sunflower and Flax Seeds (SKU# 76156), specifying affected “Best If Used By” dates from March 1, 2024, to March 5, 2024. Trader Joe’s has confirmed there were no reported injuries linked to this recall, and all implicated items have been removed from shelves.

The most recent recall closely follows a series of other recalls by Trader Joe’s. On July 21 the grocery chain recalled ‘Trader Joe’s Almond Windmill Cookies’ with ‘sell by’ dates spanning Oct. 19 through 21, and ‘Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Chunk and Almond Cookies’ with ‘sell by’ dates from Oct. 17 through 21, both due to potential rock contamination. The decision to recall ensued after the supplier alerted Trader Joe’s of the potential presence of rocks in the cookie products.

Subsequently, on July 27, Trader Joe’s announced the recall of ‘Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup’ (SKU# 68470) with “Use By” dates ranging from July 18 to Sept. 15, citing the potential presence of insects. While no health effects have been reported, the affected products were promptly withdrawn from sale and disposed of. Concluding the recall sequence, Trader Joe’s recalled its ‘Fully Cooked Falafel’ at the close of the recall week, citing potential rock inclusion.

While acknowledging the company’s transparency concerning the recalled products, it’s noteworthy that Trader Joe’s did not address or initiate recalls for lead-contaminated products when co-founder Vineet Dubey filed a lawsuit in 2021. One serving of Trader Joe’s Super Spinach Salad contained 25.30 micrograms of lead, more than double the Food and Drug Administration’s reference level for maximum daily lead consumption.

“Trader Joe’s must enhance its quality control procedures to ensure consumer safety. The ingestion of substances like rocks and lead poses substantial health risks,” Vineet said.

Consumers are advised to discard or return the recalled products to any Trader Joe’s location for a complete refund. For inquiries related to the recalls, individuals can reach out to Trader Joe’s Customer Relations at 626-599-3817.