Frozen Breakfast Recall: A Wake-Up Call for Food Safety

Opening your freezer and finding your favorite waffles or pancakes on a recall list. That's what happened to many shoppers when TreeHouse Foods expanded its recall of frozen breakfast items. The recall, spurred by the risk of listeria contamination, includes over 200 products under brands like Best Choice and Krusteaz. These items are sold in major supermarkets across the U. S. and Canada. TreeHouse Foods decided to recall all products manufactured at one facility that are still within their shelf life. The recalled items range from toaster waffles to Belgian waffles and pancakes. The company initially recalled some frozen waffles on Friday, but the recall was expanded after further testing at the manufacturing facility.Listeria is no joke. It can cause serious infections, especially in older adults, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems. Symptoms include fever, aches, headaches, and even convulsions. The bacteria has a long incubation period, ranging from three to 70 days. The affected products have "Best By Dates" from October 1, 2024, to October 11, 2025. Consumers are advised to check their freezers and look for the affected product codes listed on TreeHouse Foods' website. This recall follows other recent food safety issues, including a major meat recall by BrucePac and a listeria outbreak linked to Boar's Head cold cuts that led to 10 deaths. It's a reminder that food safety is crucial, from production to consumption.