While some food recalls are implemented out of an abundance of caution, which is the FDA’s way of saying that they’re erring on the side of safety, other recalls arise out of a very real danger to the public. A recent food recall involving Costco soup falls into the latter category.
Earlier this week, the FDA announced the recall of thousands of packages of Ivar’s Kettle Classic Clam Chowder With Uncured Bacon. The soup is sold exclusively at Costco. The recall was issued because there’s a possibility some packages may contain hard and sharpened pieces of plastic. The only silver lining amidst this bizarre story is that the plastic pieces are opaque, which is to say you’ll be able to spot them.
If you have this Costco soup at home, throw it out
The Costco soup in question comes from the Ivar’s Soup and Sauce Company. All told, nearly 15,000 sleeves of the soup are subject to the recall. All have a Costco item number of 1270666. What’s more, all are packaged in 2-24oz sleeved packs. Each container of soup is a 24oz clear plastic coup. The packaging bears a UPC number of 0 30383 19649 6 and all have a Use By Date of December 22, 2021.
The clam chowder soup was available for purchase in the following states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
A photo of the Costco soup can be seen below:
A report involving a piece of plastic in the soup
Notably, there’s no reason to believe that the issue is widespread. The issue first arose a few days ago when a consumer found a piece of plastic in their soup container.
The FDA adds:
No injuries were reported. The piece of plastic found by the consumer is in the shape of a half circle with some of the center missing, with edges that are sharp and pointed. The diameter of the circle is approximately 1 ½”. It is possible that the remainder of the circular plastic is a similarly intact piece or numerous smaller pieces.
Naturally, all Costco stores are removing the product from their shelves. Additionally, consumers with the soup at home should throw it away immediately. Consumers can also bring the soup back to Costco for a full refund.
Anyone with a question about the recall can call the soup company a 1-425-493-1402.
