What's New
After a global product development partner voluntarily recalled its Italian meatball dry mix last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued its second highest risk classification over concerns of potential metal contamination.
The "Class II" classification comes after Griffith Foods Ltd, which specializes in food ingredients, initiated a recall of almost 26,000 pounds worth of its Italian meatball dry mix 40.84-pound bag on November 1. The product is distributed across Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Texas, Tennessee and Georgia.
Newsweek has reached out to Griffith Foods Ltd for comment via email.
Why It Matters
This is not the only recall that the Illinois-based firm has issued in the last month, with three more of its items, including an adhesive breadcrumb mix, removed from distribution due to the "potential for pieces of metal" inside the products, according to multiple FDA recall reports.
Metals can have an array of harmful effects on the body. Small fragments can cause laceration and punctures to digestive organs, such as the esophagus, stomach or intestines while metallic particles can become lodged in a person's throat and airways. Metal fragments may also crack or chip teeth. Foreign metals can even carry bacteria into the body and could trigger an allergic reaction in some consumers.
What To Know
There are three levels of classification given to products recalled in conjunction with the FDA. A Class II classification marks the second most serious type the agency can assign to an item recall and is based on the health hazard it poses to consumers.
According to the agency, a Class II classification refers to "a situation in which use of, or exposure to, a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote."
The presence of foreign objects in food items, such as small pieces of plastic or metal, accounted for 11.6 percent of recalls issued by U.S. health authorities—the FDA and the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)—between 2020 and 2024, according to analysis by regulatory compliance company Traceone.
No specific metals have been named across four product recalls initiated on November 1 by Griffith Foods Ltd.
What Happens Next
Customers who have purchased any of the affected products should not consume the item and are encouraged to seek a full refund from the place of purchase or discard the product entirely.
Consumers with questions can contact Griffith Foods Ltd by calling 708-371-0900 or visit the recall section of the FDA's website.
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