Broccoli Recall Over Metal Contamination Fears

A whole grain breaded broccoli nugget product has been recalled due to fears that it may contain metal. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a voluntary recall of 168 cases of Chow Ciao Whole Grain Breaded Broccoli Nuggets on December 10, which was initiated by the Chow Ciao Whole Grain Breaded Broccoli Nuggets manufacturer Better Brands Inc., located in Albany, NY. The recall classification for the nuggets is Class 2, meaning that the products contain something that could cause temporary adverse health consequences to people who are exposed to it. Per the FDA, in a Class 2 qualification "the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote." The products' lot number is 24241, and the nuggets that may contain metal were produced on August 27, 2024.

It's unclear at the moment how metal potentially got into the broccoli nuggets. Better Brands Inc. was contacted for comment via phone call and voicemail. This broccoli nugget recall was one of three made by the FDA in December due to potential metal in products. On December 13, the FDA recalled 1,728 Connie's Thin Crust Cheese Frozen Pizzas due to potential metal or chemical contaminants. Palermo Villa, Inc., the owner of Connie's Pizzas, said: "This recall alert, which is being conducted under the full cooperation of the FDA, is being issued out of an abundance of caution in the event that a product remains in a consumer's freezer. The pizzas are no longer available for purchase. Consumers who have purchased these pizzas are urged not to consume them. They should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase for a refund." Palermo Villa Inc., has been contacted via email for comment. The FDA also recalled several MadeGood granola bars on December 10 due to them potentially containing metal. A spokesperson for MadeGood previously told Newsweek: "Upon receiving a small number of consumer complaints, we conducted an extensive internal investigation and identified that the metal piece originated from a brush that is used to deep-clean the oven conveyor used in our granola-making process. In each instance, the metal bristle had come loose during the sanitation process and had transferred to the conveyor belt where the granola was placed after baking. "To remediate the situation, we no longer use the brush that sourced the bristles, we have implemented additional safeguards in the sanitation process, and we have enhanced our metal detection process for finished goods. We've tested the new processes to ensure that any risk of future contamination is mitigated. Our investigation was thorough, and we have taken every measure to ensure the safety of all our products."