FDA warns to check broccoli tots for rocks after dental damage reports
If you've made the switch from tater tots to the arguably healthier broccoli tots alternative (they're basically tater tots, but made from, you know, broccoli), pay attention to a new recall notice published on the FDA's website. According to the advisory, some frozen broccoli tots products have been recalled because they may contain small pieces of metal or rocks.
The recall comes from the company Conagra Brands, Inc., and involves the Birds Eye brand. Complaints from customers made the company aware of the issue, according to its recall notice, prompting a voluntary recall involving 12-ounce packages of the tots sold with select "Best By" dates.
As of the date of the recall notice, Birds Eye said it has received two consumer reports of tooth damage related to the issue. Consumers who own any of these recalled packages are told to throw them away uneaten. The full list of broccoli tots covered by this recall can be found on the FDA's website.
A series of recalls
This is the latest recall involving foreign object contamination in food products, joining others in recent weeks that covered a variety of packaged foods. Last week, for example, Kraft Heinz recalled a lengthy list of powdered beverages sold under popular brands like Kool-Aid due to glass risk.
On November 1, meanwhile, Flower Foods, Inc., recalled cupcakes and Krimpets over the potential presence of small mesh wire fragments. The contamination issue, the company had said as part of its recall announcement, was discovered by a vendor that supplied one of the ingredients used to produce these bakery products.
Metal, glass, and rock contamination aren't the only repeat issues driving recent product recalls. A number of companies, including Blistex and Procter & Gamble, have recalled various aerosol spray deodorants and medications over high levels of benzene, a human carcinogen linked to an increased risk of certain cancers.
Consumers who want to stay on top of the latest product recalls can check out the FDA's safety advisory portal, which lists new recalls related to potential health problems. The USDA, meanwhile, also has a recalls portal that alerts the public to issues involving meat and eggs, plus the US CPSC maintains a list of recalls covering consumer products like gadgets and appliances.