National recalls, contamination warnings, and foodborne illness guidance unrelated to USC

The United States’ food safety landscape remains deeply unsettled as 2026 closes, with a complex web of microbial outbreaks, chemical and radiological contaminations, physical hazards, and systemic shortcomings converging to threaten public health on multiple fronts. The persistent and expanding ByHeart infant formula botulism outbreak continues to dominate national attention, while a broad array of additional recalls and contamination warnings across diverse food and pet product sectors reveal entrenched vulnerabilities in contamination prevention, recall execution, and regulatory enforcement.

---

ByHeart Infant Formula Botulism Outbreak: Expanded Recall, Retailer Defiance, and Intensifying Oversight

The ByHeart infant formula botulism crisis remains the nation’s most urgent food safety emergency, having now afflicted 51 infants across 19 states, many suffering serious neurological damage. In the past weeks, the situation has escalated markedly:

• The FDA broadened the voluntary recall to include four additional ByHeart formula product lines sold exclusively at Walmart, exposing a wider consumer base to potential Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin risk.

• Despite explicit federal directives, retailers Walmart and Target have repeatedly failed to remove recalled products from shelves, including during the critical holiday shopping period. Investigative reporting, notably by CNN, uncovered ongoing sales of recalled formulas, a blatant violation of recall protocols that endangers infants’ lives.

• The FDA responded by issuing formal warning letters to both Walmart and Target, stressing their legal duty to immediately withdraw recalled products from all points of sale. The agency has warned that failure to comply could prompt escalating penalties, including fines and court injunctions.

• Legal challenges now extend beyond the manufacturer, with class-action lawsuits naming Walmart and Target as negligent distributors complicit in exposing infants to contaminated formula.

• Congressional scrutiny has intensified: Senate HELP Committee Chair Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) has demanded comprehensive disclosure on contamination sources, manufacturing controls, and the efficacy of recall efforts. The outbreak is being increasingly framed as a national public health emergency requiring sweeping regulatory reforms.

• On the international stage, the Codex Alimentarius Commission is advancing new global standards targeting Clostridium botulinum hazards in infant formulas, a recognition of the outbreak’s global implications.

• Compounding these concerns, the FDA’s recent voluntary recall of a ready-to-eat pasta sauce for suspected botulinum toxin contamination signals broader challenges in detecting and managing botulinum toxin risks beyond infant nutrition products.

These developments underscore systemic failures in oversight, recall enforcement, and retailer accountability that have exacerbated this crisis, particularly given the extreme vulnerability of infants to botulism.

---

Widening Microbial Outbreaks: Salmonella in Raw Oysters, Expanding E. coli O26 Recalls, and Pet Food Concerns

Concurrent microbial outbreaks continue to strain public health resources and complicate consumer safety:

• The ongoing multi-state Salmonella outbreak linked to raw oysters now includes over 60 cases across 22 states, with new infections reported in the Delmarva Peninsula, a key oyster harvesting zone. The CDC and FDA face challenges in tracing and recalling implicated shellfish due to complex supply chains and regulatory gaps. Consumers are strongly advised to avoid raw oysters until further notice. Local businesses in affected areas, such as Charleston, S.C., are cooperating with authorities while reassuring customers.

• The multi-state E. coli O26 outbreak has intensified, highlighted by a recent recall of nearly 3,000 pounds of raw ground beef by Forward Farms distributed in six states, adding to earlier recalls by Mountain West Food Group, LLC. The outbreak’s geographic reach now includes Pennsylvania, Washington, Idaho, and others.

• Processed food risks persist, exemplified by the ongoing E. coli outbreak linked to Pillsbury Pizza Pops, which continues to cause hospitalizations.

• Listeria monocytogenes contamination remains a significant threat, with multiple active recalls:

  • Continued contamination in Blue Bell Creameries’ ice cream products.

  • Recalls of Charlevoix Cheese Company’s Mild Cheddar and prepared pasta meals.

  • Newly issued alerts for Primavera Nueva Inc.’s tamales (Roasted Green Chile & Cheese flavors), highlighting risks in ethnic and specialty foods.

• Additional microbial recalls include juice and tea products in Michigan’s Fox Valley and Green Bay areas due to Salmonella and E. coli, and a seven-state pet food recall involving Consumers Supply Distributing, LLC’s Country Vet Biscuits for Dogs, recalled for possible Salmonella contamination. This pet food recall raises concerns about zoonotic transmission risks and the safety of companion animal products.

• H-E-B expanded its recall of dairy-free strawberry coconut yogurt due to possible microbial contamination, further illustrating vulnerabilities across product categories.

• Rodent and bird feces contamination has triggered a wave of recalls, including a recent massive recall by Minnesota-based Gold Star Distribution, Inc., which withdrew hundreds of food and drugstore products after sanitation failures were documented.

Important scientific findings have broadened the recognized impact of foodborne pathogens:
A landmark study revealed that nearly 20% of urinary tract infections (UTIs) are caused by E. coli strains originating from contaminated meat products, highlighting the need for integrated zoonotic and foodborne disease surveillance beyond traditional gastrointestinal illness paradigms.

---

Chemical and Radiological Hazards: Expanded Cesium-137 Shrimp Recall and Persistent PFAS/Lead Concerns

Chemical and radiological food safety threats continue to mount:

• The FDA has expanded its recall of frozen raw shrimp imported from Indonesia by Direct Source Seafood LLC, now encompassing approximately 83,800 bags distributed across 17 states, including Colorado and Illinois. Testing revealed contamination with cesium-137, a radioactive isotope linked to increased cancer risk. This unprecedented radiological contamination recall has triggered urgent calls for enhanced radiological hazard monitoring in imported seafood.

• To educate the public and stakeholders, the FDA released an explanatory video titled “The 2025 Shrimp Recall Explained: The Hidden Dangers of Cesium-137.”

• Legislative action is gaining momentum with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) reintroducing bills aimed at strengthening federal authority to regulate PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), which are persistent chemical contaminants linked to food and water safety threats.

• Dietary supplement safety remains a concern: Navafresh issued a nationwide recall of Rheumacare capsules due to elevated lead levels, underscoring ongoing risks from chemical adulteration in supplements.

These incidents expose critical gaps in integrated chemical and radiological surveillance and highlight the need for sustained interagency and international cooperation.

---

Physical Contamination and Holiday Allergen Mislabeling Spike Amid High-Volume Production

The holiday season’s production pressures have exacerbated risks of physical contamination and allergen mislabeling:

• The USDA recalled nearly 2,000 pounds of Olympia Provisions ready-to-eat kielbasa sausages after detecting an inch-long metal fragment.

• Coca-Cola voluntarily recalled multiple lots of Sprite, Diet Coke, and Fanta due to possible metal contamination.

• Mondelēz Global issued its third Chips Ahoy! recall related to hazardous corn starch clumps posing choking hazards.

• Wegmans and Ventura Foods recalled dairy-free desserts and salad dressings due to potential foreign object contamination.

• Allergen mislabeling incidents surged:

  • An FDA-expanded recall of holiday chocolate bark sold at Aldi nationwide for undeclared wheat and pecans linked to cross-contact during peak production.

  • Michigan’s recall of Troemner Farm’s Pfeffernusse Cookies for undeclared allergens.

  • H-E-B’s recalls of soups and dairy-free yogurts with undeclared dairy and peanuts.

  • Gregory’s Foods recalled frozen cookie dough for undeclared peanuts.

  • Multiple Christmas chocolate recalls tied to life-threatening allergy risks.

These events highlight persistent challenges in allergen control, labeling accuracy, and sanitation, especially under intensified output demands, underscoring the urgency for enhanced industry oversight and regulatory enforcement during peak seasons.

---

Historic Spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and First Spillover to Dairy Cattle

The Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak continues to wreak havoc on U.S. poultry operations and now marks a troubling new chapter:

• The USDA APHIS reports 74 confirmed HPAI outbreaks in commercial layer flocks across 11 states, including top egg producers such as Arizona, California, Iowa, and Pennsylvania. Large-scale flock depopulation is disrupting egg supplies and inflating prices.

• In a historic development, HPAI infection was confirmed for the first time in a dairy herd in Dodge County, Wisconsin, indicating spillover from infected wild birds to cattle. Although no milk or dairy product contamination has been detected, this event spotlights biosecurity vulnerabilities at the wildlife-livestock interface and raises concerns about novel zoonotic transmission pathways.

Experts call for urgent strengthening of farm-level biosecurity measures, expanded wildlife disease surveillance, and comprehensive environmental containment to safeguard animal and human health.

---

Systemic Weaknesses Undermine Recall Effectiveness and Food Safety Infrastructure

The accumulation of overlapping crises reveals deep structural and operational deficiencies in the U.S. food safety system:

• The FDA has publicly criticized delays and incomplete recall execution by retailers, especially relating to the ByHeart outbreak, spotlighting gaps in recall management and enforcement.

• Despite intensified recall efforts, recalled products continue to be found on shelves, perpetuating consumer risk and eroding trust.

• The FDA updated guidance on food safety during power outages, flooding, and natural disasters, urging businesses to implement rigorous risk assessments and sanitation to prevent secondary contamination.

• These efforts are hampered by federal budget cuts affecting food safety programs, limiting inspection capacity, laboratory resources, and emergency response.

• To emphasize the importance of data-driven responses, the FDA released a video titled “Why Better Data Matters for Food Safety,” explaining that traditional invoice-based traceability is insufficient for timely recalls and advocating the adoption of advanced data analytics.

---

Strategic Recommendations and Consumer Guidance

Food safety experts advocate a comprehensive, integrated response that includes:

• Adoption of advanced traceability and food defense technologies, alongside workforce training and innovation.

• Expansion of environmental monitoring and new sanitation methods, including bacteriophage therapies and antimicrobial coatings.

• Strengthening regulatory oversight through increased inspections, enforcement, and recall execution.

• Integrated chemical and radiological hazard surveillance, supported by enhanced interagency and international collaboration.

• Enhanced biosecurity and zoonotic disease surveillance at the wildlife-livestock-environment interface.

• Restoration and expansion of federal funding to sustain food safety infrastructure, research, and innovation.

• Incorporation of disaster-response food safety protocols addressing power outages, flooding, and natural disasters.

Consumers are urged to:

• Closely monitor FDA, USDA, and local health department recall alerts.

• Verify product lot numbers and expiration dates against recall notices.

• Discard recalled or suspicious products immediately.

• Maintain rigorous food safety practices, including proper cooking, storage, and hygiene.

Retailers should:

• Promptly remove recalled products from all sales channels.

• Maintain detailed, accessible recall and inventory records.

• Communicate transparently and proactively during recalls.

Foodservice operators and manufacturers must:

• Intensify pathogen monitoring and sanitation.

• Develop comprehensive food defense plans covering multiple hazard types.

• Train employees on contamination prevention, recall protocols, and disaster-response safety.

Regulators are called to:

• Increase inspection frequency and enforcement.

• Foster interagency, cross-sector, and international collaboration, including with Canadian counterparts.

• Promote innovation and holistic risk management.

• Expand biosecurity and zoonotic disease surveillance.

• Advocate for sustained and increased federal funding.

---

Current Status and Outlook

As 2026 nears its end, the ByHeart infant formula botulism outbreak remains the nation’s foremost food safety crisis, with expanded recalls—including Walmart-exclusive lines—and persistent retailer compliance failures posing ongoing risks. Litigation implicating major retailers is progressing, while congressional oversight and international standard-setting efforts signal the outbreak’s profound public health significance.

Simultaneously, widening microbial outbreaks—including Salmonella linked to raw oysters, expanding E. coli O26 ground beef recalls, persistent Listeria contamination, and Salmonella risks in pet food—continue to imperil public health.

The expanded cesium-137 shrimp recall, combined with legislative efforts targeting PFAS and lead contamination, highlights emerging chemical and radiological hazards requiring integrated surveillance and regulatory responses.

Physical contamination and holiday allergen mislabeling surges further erode consumer confidence and expose production vulnerabilities during peak demand.

The historic HPAI spillover to dairy cattle and extensive poultry outbreaks introduce novel zoonotic risks and supply chain disruptions.

Persistent sanitation failures—including the massive Minnesota distributor recall due to rodent and feces contamination—complicate food safety systems further.

Crucially, new scientific evidence linking nearly 20% of UTIs to contaminated meat products expands the recognized scope of foodborne illness and zoonotic disease transmission, emphasizing the urgency of integrated surveillance and control.

Together, these overlapping crises reveal how vulnerabilities anywhere within the complex U.S. food system can cascade into widespread public health emergencies. Only through vigilance, innovation, and cross-sector cooperation can the nation build a safer, more resilient food supply to protect all Americans now and into the future.