Trader Joe’s, the well-liked supermarket chain, acted promptly this week, issuing recalls for two additional products, Fully Cooked Falafel and Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup, following two prior recalls on cookie items due to potential rock contamination.
The recalls issued on Friday concerned Trader Joe’s Fully Cooked Falafel, due to concerns that it may contain rocks.
The product was available in several states including Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.
Trader Joe’s has assured the public that all potentially affected product has been expeditiously removed from store shelves and disposed of, demonstrating a commitment to customer safety over commercial interests.
The grocery chain advised, “If you purchased or received any donations of Fully Cooked Falafel, please do not eat them. We urge you to discard the product or return it to any Trader Joe’s for a full refund.”
Another recall was announced on Thursday when the supermarket chain was informed by a supplier that the Trader Joe’s Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup, with use-by dates from July 18 through September 15, may contain insects.
“No known adverse health effects have been reported to date, and all potentially affected product has been removed from sale and destroyed,” the company reassured in an advisory.
Customers who have purchased or received the aforementioned soup are similarly advised to discard the product or return it to any Trader Joe’s outlet for a full refund.
Earlier last week Trader Joe’s recalled Trader Joe’s Almond Windmill Cookies (SKU# 98744) and Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Chunk and Almond Cookies (SKU# 82752) for possibly containing “foreign material” or “rocks.”
According to the company, the Chocolate Chunk and Almond Cookies have “sell by” dates from Oct. 17 to Oct. 21, 2023. The Windmill Cookies have “sell by” dates ranging between Oct. 19, 2023, to Oct. 21, 2023.
The company reinforced its commitment to high quality, safe products, stating on its website, “With more than five decades of experience working directly with the producers of our products, we stand by our proactive practices and continually improve our food safety processes.”
“We take these matters seriously — personally, even, as our families eat and drink TJ’s products, too,” the statement said.
Following an inquiry by FOX Business, a Trader Joe’s representative clarified via email on Saturday that the rock and insect incidents were not related.
The spokesperson reiterated the company’s proactive approach to safety, stating, “We have a close relationship with our vendors and they alerted us of these issues. We don’t hesitate or wait for regulatory agencies to tell us what to do.”
“We will never leave to chance the safety of the products we offer. We pulled the product from our shelves as soon as we were made aware of the issue. Once we understood the issue we notified our customers,” the spokesperson said.
Trader Joe’s has encouraged customers with queries to reach out to Customer Relations at (626) 599-3817 or via email.
TRENDING: GOP Rep. Hageman Receives Support for ‘Truth Bomb’ on Gender-Affirming Care – ‘100% Failure Rate’