Food recalls are a very sensitive topic for shoppers. Even when authorities do their best to control everything that is sold on shelves in stores, it is quite hard to ensure that all quality controls are met, as there are so many products manufactured every day in order to keep up with our food supply. This is why services like the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) are so important, as they keep consumers safe and the latest Costco recall illustrates this importance.
The problem with these safety checks is that sometimes they happen a little too late once the product has hot the shelves and consumers have already bought it, which means that a recall is in order.
The Costco recall by the FSIS
Costco has on its shelve a lot of delicious products, and this white chicken chili is no exception. Imported from Canada, it raised flags after an FSIS inspection and was quickly pulled off the shelves, but consumers in Idaho, Oregon and Washington may still be at risk, as the product was purchased by many people in those states and many could still have a few units left in their pantry.
The recalled item, sold under the Allen Family Foods brand, was packaged in 7-pound, 2-ounce boxes containing eight 14.3-ounce plastic containers. The label reads: “Allen FAMILY FOODS WHITE CHICKEN CHILI with Bell Peppers, Corn & White Beans.”
The affected batches include lot numbers E225077, E225079, E225080, E225081, and E225083, with expiration dates ranging from March 18 to March 24, 2026. These products can also be identified by a Canadian establishment seal bearing the number 7011.
If you have this product in your pantry, the FSIS advises consumers to not eat it. If you think you may have one of these in your pantry, the first step is to see if the codes match those that have been recalled. If they do, either throw the product away into the trash in a manner that would prevent anyone else from consuming it accidentally or take it into Costco to get a refund or a replacement if you think that is best for your family.
Since the product was recalled early and only a few batches were contaminated, do not assume that anything else from the brand is unsafe to eat. The safety controls are implemented for a reason and there have not been any cases of illnesses related to the consumption of this product are of yet, but it is better to be safe than sorry and to respect the recommendations of the FSIS.
It is important to keep up to date with recalls and other food related alerts to ensure that all products in your kitchen are safe to consume for you and your family, and although grocery stores and the Administration alike work as fast as possible to ensure that any contaminated products are off the shelves as quickly as possible, it is up to the consumers to then apply the knowledge and review the items they have in order to not get sick.
For any more information regarding this recall and others, you can visit the FSIS site or choose to communicate directly with the customer service center of the grocery store that has issued the recall, in this case Costco. You can also use these services to report any issues you may have with consuming these products or any other relevant information that you may have that may be of interest to the authorities. Just remember to be cautious but not to panic, as most products out there are perfectly safe to consume.