FARIBAULT, Minnesota — Normally when a product recall is announced due to undeclared ingredients, it’s something simple, like the company forgetting to put onions or garlic on its ingredients label.
A new recall from Faribault Foods, Inc., which produces the popular Progresso line of soups, is a little bit different.
The chicken soup involved in the recall does include something that isn’t on the ingredients label, but it’s a little bit more substantive than that.
The cans of “Progresso organic chicken noodle soup,” that may be in your pantry right now might not actually be chicken noodle soup at all.
According to the official recall notice on the USDA website, consumers began complaining about their cans of what was supposed to be chicken noodle soup because upon opening the cans they saw meatballs and pasta instead. The 14-oz cans of the product were apparently mislabeled, and as such, they are packed with a whole bunch of ingredients not listed on the label, which means a recall is in order.
“There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider,” the recall bulletin reads. “FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ pantries. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.”
The good news here is pretty obvious: If you’re allergic to meatballs and/or other ingredients typically found in pasta and meatballs, and you open a can of chicken noodle soup and see nothing but pasta and meatballs inside, you’re probably not going to eat it. The bad news is that if someone with an allergy does unwittingly eat the mislabeled product, they could face a severe allergic reaction which can be life-threatening.
Food safety organizations don’t mess around when it comes to this kind of thing, so all 15,000+ pounds of the “soup” now has to be recalled. The Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service describes the product like this:
14-oz. cans of “PROGRESSO ORGANIC CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP” with a best by date of “BestByMAY262022” printed on the bottom of the can and a best by date of “09JUN2022” printed on the product case.
If this matches anything you happen to have in your pantry, you are urged not to eat it. Either throw it away or bring it back to where you bought it from and ask for a refund.
For consumer related issues, you may email the Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs (DLCA) at [email protected] or call our hotlines on St. Croix 340-727-SCAM(7226) or St.Thomas/St. John at 340-771-SCAM(7226).
You may file a consumer complaint or visit our recall page at www.dlca.vi.gov. If you have any questions, concerns or issues with contacting our office, you may call the Office of the Commissioner at 340-713-6916 or 340-725-5129.