On November 26, 2025, Costco Wholesale Corporation issued an urgent recall for two popular prepared food items — Caesar Salad (Item #19927) and the Chicken Sandwich with Caesar Salad (Item #11444) — after plastic fragments were found in the dressing. The contamination, described as a potentially life-threatening risk, prompted immediate removal from shelves in over 150 warehouses across the Midwest, Northeast, and Southeast regions. No injuries have been reported yet, but the stakes are high: ingesting sharp plastic could cause internal lacerations or choking. The recall was announced just before 3 p.m. UTC, and by 5 p.m., warehouse managers in Illinois, New York, and Florida were already pulling product from salad bars and frozen cases.
How the contamination was discovered
It started with a customer complaint at a Costco in Columbus, Ohio. A shopper reported finding a 1.5-inch shard of clear plastic in their salad — not in the lettuce, but mixed into the dressing. That single report triggered an internal investigation. By the next morning, Ventura Foods, Inc., the California-based supplier responsible for producing the dressing, confirmed the issue originated from a faulty seal on a mixing vat during production. The company, which employs over 4,000 people and generates more than $2.5 billion annually, had never faced a major recall in the past five years. Now, it’s under scrutiny.
Costco’s internal safety team moved fast. They cross-referenced batch numbers, traced production logs, and identified all affected products manufactured between October 15 and November 25, 2025. The plastic fragments, believed to be from a broken polymer component, were found in multiple batches. No other products from Ventura Foods were implicated. The recall notice, posted on Costco’s website, repeats the phrase “Recall Notice:” twelve times — an unusual, almost desperate emphasis that signals how seriously they’re taking this.
Who’s affected — and what to do
If you bought either item between mid-October and late November, you’re in the affected zone. The salad was sold in 16-ounce clamshell containers; the sandwich, a 10-ounce meal combo. Both carried the same “Best By” window. Costco’s policy is clear: return the item to any warehouse, no receipt needed. Full refund. No questions. That’s standard for them — but in this case, it’s also a public safety move.
What’s odd? Costco’s recall page directs customers to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) for more info. That’s a red flag. The CPSC handles toys, appliances, and furniture — not food. Food recalls fall under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Experts are calling this a misstep. “It’s like directing someone to the DMV for a medical emergency,” said Dr. Lena Ruiz, a food safety analyst at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. “This is a Class I recall — the highest level. The FDA needs to be front and center.”
Why this matters beyond one salad
This isn’t just about dressing. It’s about how prepared food systems are breaking down under pressure. Costco sells over 2 million Caesar salads annually. Ventura Foods supplies dressing to dozens of retailers. And the FDA’s preliminary data shows foreign material recalls — plastic, metal, glass — jumped 32% in the first nine months of 2025 compared to 2024. The trend is real. More meals are being prepped in high-speed facilities. Fewer hands touch the final product. And automation? It’s faster, but it’s also more brittle. One cracked seal. One missed sensor. And boom — plastic ends up in your grocery cart.
Costco, for its part, has a strong safety record. The last major food incident was the 2022 E. coli outbreak tied to romaine lettuce — which affected 127 people across 28 states. This time, they acted within 24 hours of the first report. That’s impressive. But the fact that the contamination wasn’t caught during quality control speaks to a deeper problem: suppliers are being pushed to cut costs, and oversight is thinning.
What happens next
The FDA is expected to launch a formal investigation by December 5, 2025. Ventura Foods has promised a full audit of its production lines and has temporarily shut down the affected facility in Brea, California. Costco says it’s reviewing its supplier vetting process — but won’t say if Ventura Foods will be removed from its vendor list. The recall notice will disappear from Costco’s main page on December 25, 2025, moving to archived status. That’s 120 days. After that, most customers won’t even know it happened.
Meanwhile, the real question lingers: How many people already ate it? No injuries reported — yet. But with holiday shopping in full swing, and families gathering for Thanksgiving and Christmas meals, the window for exposure is still open. And that’s what keeps food safety inspectors up at night.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my Caesar salad is part of the recall?
Check the item number on the packaging: #19927 for the standalone salad, #11444 for the sandwich version. Both were sold with ‘Best By’ dates between October 15 and November 25, 2025. If you bought either product at a Costco in the Midwest, Northeast, or Southeast during that window, return it for a full refund — no receipt needed. If you’re unsure, call Costco’s customer service at 1-800-774-2678 and ask for recall verification.
Why is Costco directing people to the CPSC instead of the FDA?
This appears to be a website error. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission handles non-food items like cribs or lawn mowers. Food recalls, including plastic contamination in prepared meals, are under the FDA’s jurisdiction. Experts believe Costco’s recall page may have been auto-populated from a template meant for household goods. The FDA has not confirmed any official involvement yet, but they are expected to issue a public notice soon.
Has Ventura Foods had recalls before?
According to FDA records, no. Ventura Foods, Inc., headquartered in Brea, California, has been in business since 1988 and supplies dressings, sauces, and spreads to major retailers. In the past five years, there are no public recalls linked to them. This is their first major food safety incident, making it especially notable. Their CEO, John D. Diercksen, has not publicly commented as of November 28, 2025.
What’s the risk if I already ate the salad?
If you consumed the salad and felt no sharp pain, choking, or internal discomfort, you’re likely fine. The plastic fragments were small — estimated at 0.5 to 2 inches — and likely passed through the digestive system. But if you experienced abdominal pain, vomiting, or blood in stool after eating it, seek medical attention immediately. Even if symptoms are delayed, foreign material can cause internal damage days later. No official cases have been reported, but doctors are being alerted.
Will Costco replace the salad with a safer version?
Costco says it’s working with Ventura Foods to fix the production issue, but hasn’t confirmed when the products will return. The current batch is being destroyed. A new version — possibly with a different supplier — could appear in early 2026. In the meantime, Costco is offering free samples of alternative salads at checkout counters in affected regions as a goodwill gesture.
Is this part of a larger trend in food safety?
Yes. FDA data shows foreign material recalls in prepared foods rose 32% from January to September 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. Plastic, metal, and glass contamination are climbing as manufacturers ramp up automation and reduce manual inspection. Retailers like Costco rely on third-party suppliers, and oversight gaps are widening. This isn’t an isolated incident — it’s a symptom of a system under strain.