Alert at Kroger and Fred Meyer: new recalls added due to consumer risk

Food safety alerts are multiplying at Kroger and Fred Meyer chains. To the list of products recalled in previous weeks, new foods are being added with risks ranging from physical contamination to labeling errors. The latest warning was published on July 18 and involves a very common product: Al Fresco brand fully cooked chicken sausages.

Kroger announces a new recall

This new recall affects only Fred Meyer stores. The product involved is Al Fresco Fully Cooked Chicken Sausage Sweet Apple in its 11 oz. presentation. According to the official notice, the food may contain fragments of white plastic. Although no injuries have been reported, three consumers notified the company of the finding and, in response, the company decided to recall more than 10,000 packages.

The warning states that plastics can cause choking or internal injuries if ingested. Therefore, buyers are asked not to consume the product, to discard it or return it to the store for a full refund.

This incident adds to the ongoing recall of Ritz cookies, announced on July 8. The company Mondelēz Global LLC warned that several individual packages are mislabeled. Instead of containing cheese crackers, some units have peanut butter, an ingredient that can cause severe allergic reactions.

The products affected by this confusion are:

• Ritz Sandwich Variety Pack (20 units, 27.3 oz)

• Ritz Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches (27.6 oz)

• Ritz Peanut Butter Sandwich Cracker (8 units, 11.04 oz)

These were sold in multiple states through Kroger stores and other affiliated chains such as Ralphs, Smith's, Fred Meyer, Dillons, and Food4Less. In total, distribution covered more than 20 states, including Texas, Ohio, Georgia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, Indiana, and Louisiana, among others.

The risk in this case lies in the incorrect labeling. Those who are allergic to peanuts could ingest the product without knowing it contains this allergen. Although there are no reports of affected individuals, the company has urged consumers to carefully check the packages. If the product is mislabeled, it should be returned or discarded.

These two alerts are joined by other recent ones that remain active. Among them, a Lewis Bake Shop bread with undeclared traces of hazelnut and a batch of Oscar Mayer turkey bacon with possible listeria contamination. Both warnings also include multiple states and have not yet been closed.

Health authorities are asking consumers to check their recent purchases. Many of these products are present in pantries and refrigerators. Kroger and Fred Meyer offer refunds without the need for a receipt.

For more details, users can consult the official websites of the chains. There, complete lists have been published with batch codes, expiration dates, and points of sale. Telephone hotlines are also available to answer questions or report incidents.