Recall Corner

January 2, 2026

LCCN Staff Report

Several recent food recalls serve as a reminder that some manufacturers apparently need a refresher course in reading labels, running quality checks, and keeping bacteria out of the food supply.

First up is Forward Farms Grass-Fed Ground Beef, which was recalled after potential E. coli contamination turned what should have been a healthy protein choice into a roll of the food-safety dice. The affected 16-ounce packages were produced in December and distributed across multiple states, including California. While the company markets itself as wholesome and grass-fed, federal regulators clearly weren’t impressed with whatever hygiene standards were being followed behind the scenes.

Then there’s Aldi’s holiday chocolate bark — a seasonal treat that arrived gift-wrapped with a side of allergen roulette. Choceur Cookie Butter Holiday Bark and Choceur Pecan, Cranberry & Cinnamon Holiday Bark were pulled from shelves after packaging mix-ups resulted in undeclared nuts and wheat. For consumers with food allergies, that’s not a minor typo — it’s a potentially dangerous mistake. The recall raises an obvious question: how does a company manage to sell allergen-heavy products without double-checking what’s actually inside the bag?

Not to be outdone, Endico Potatoes Inc. found itself recalling frozen peas, carrots, and mixed vegetables due to possible Listeria contamination. Because nothing says “healthy side dish” like a pathogen that can hospitalize vulnerable consumers. The products were shipped in large 2.5-pound bags to multiple states, meaning plenty of freezers may now be hosting vegetables that should never make it to the dinner table.

In all three cases, the recalls weren’t triggered by rare edge cases or freak accidents. They stemmed from basic failures: sanitation lapses, packaging errors, and quality-control breakdowns that should have been caught long before the products reached grocery shelves.