'Just Bought a Pack Yesterday': Massive Recall of Popular Sausage Brand in 10 States Sparks Public Concern

Shoppers in multiple states are on high alert following a new food safety warning linked to a popular bratwurst product.

A widely consumed sausage brand is at the center of a large-scale recall that has raised safety alarms across ten U.S. states.

On April 5, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced that Johnsonville, LLC, a Momence, Illinois-based establishment, is recalling approximately 22,672 pounds of its cheddar bratwurst product due to potential contamination with hard plastic.

The recall involves 19-ounce sealed firm tray packages containing five pieces of "Johnsonville BRATS CHEDDAR Bratwurst."

These packages are marked with the code B9FOD and display the establishment number "Est. 1647" on the front of the label.

The product in question was produced on February 5, 2025, and distributed to retail stores in Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Johnsonville initiated the recall after receiving two consumer complaints about hard plastic pieces found in the bratwurst.

At this time, there have been no confirmed reports of injuries resulting from the consumption of the affected product. However, FSIS advises anyone concerned about a possible injury to seek medical attention from a healthcare provider.

The FSIS has expressed concern that some of the recalled bratwurst may still be stored in consumers' freezers. Consumers who have purchased the product are urged not to eat it. Instead, they should either dispose of it or return it to the store where it was bought.

FSIS will carry out recall effectiveness checks to ensure that Johnsonville has informed its retail partners and that the recalled product is no longer available to the public.

A list of stores that received the affected product will be posted to the FSIS website when available at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.

Consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact Amanda Fritsch, Consumer Relations Coordinator, by phone at 888-556-2728 or by email at anachtweyfritsch@johnsonville.com.

Media inquiries should be directed to Stephanie Schafer, Director of Global Corporate Communications, at 920-889-0782 or via email at sschafer@johnsonville.com.

For general food safety concerns, consumers can reach the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854 or email MPHotline@usda.gov.

The USDA also offers a platform to report issues with meat, poultry, or egg products online at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.

Public reaction to the recall has been swift, with many consumers taking to Facebook to share their concerns and frustrations.

One person wrote, "Now this here is really concerning." Another commented, "Their sausages might have shards of something in it."

Several others revealed that they had the product in their homes. One person noted, "I have some in my freezer now but they're not in the original packaging since I portioned them out. I'm tired of having to throw groceries and money away."

Another wrote, "I just threw them away." One person said, "We just bought a pack yesterday. I'll have to check it out."

Another concerned consumer shared, "Seriously I got some of my refrigerator right now. The first back. I proceeded to look a little funny so I asked the manager at Aldi's. she told me to look at the date with the attitude and a reason it look like that is because it was a hole in the bag [sic]."

A different comment read, "need to see what's in out freezer [sic]." Amid the concern, one person still remarked, "Those are the best."

As the recall process unfolds, authorities continue to monitor the situation and ensure that potentially contaminated products are removed from circulation. Consumers are urged to stay informed and follow official guidance to safeguard their health.

The Johnsonville recall is the latest in a series of recent food safety alerts that have left many shoppers double-checking their grocery purchases.

Just days earlier, a popular chocolate brand had removed several top-selling products from store shelves after foreign materials were discovered inside.

Tony's Chocolonely Inc., a New York-based company, announced a voluntary recall of specific chocolate bars sold throughout the United States.

The recall was made public on April 1, 2025, and published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on April 2, 2025. It concerned two products: the Tony's Chocolonely Dark Chocolate Almond Sea Salt Bar and the Tony's Chocolonely Everything Bar. Both bars weigh 180 grams or 6.35 ounces.

The reason for the recall was the possible presence of small stones in the chocolate, which were not filtered out during a third-party almond harvesting and processing procedure.

The company received 12 reports from consumers who found small stones in the affected products. All of the complaints were made outside the United States and Canada. No injuries have been reported.

The recalled bars were distributed nationwide. They were available for purchase in retail stores across the U.S. and online at the company's website, www.tonyschocolonely.com. Distribution of the affected products took place between February 7 and March 24, 2025.

The affected Tony's Chocolonely Everything Bar includes four specific lot codes: 4327, 4330, 4331, and M4331. Lot 4327 has a best-before date of November 22, 2025.

Lot 4330 has a best-before date of November 25, 2025. Lots 4331 and M4331 both have best-before dates of November 26, 2025. The Universal Product Code (UPC) for lots 4327, 4330, and 4331 is 850011828564, while the UPC for lot M4331 is 850032676441.

The affected Tony's Chocolonely Dark Chocolate Almond Sea Salt Bar includes three lot codes: 163094, 162634, and M162634.

Lot 163094 has a best-before date of April 2, 2026. Lots 162634 and M162634 both have best-before dates of February 28, 2026. The UPC for lots 163094 and 162634 is 858010005641, while the UPC for lot M162634 is 850011828908.

Consumers who have purchased any of the affected products and have not yet consumed them are advised not to eat the chocolate. Instead, they should return the product to the place of purchase for a refund or replacement or dispose of the product safely.

Tony's Chocolonely has provided detailed instructions for identifying the correct lot codes and how to submit a refund or replacement request on their website.

Consumers can visit https://us.tonyschocolonely.com/pages/recall-fo-intl-0325 for further guidance.

The company clarified that no other lot codes are included in this recall, and no other Tony's Chocolonely products are affected.

This recall follows a broader trend in recent months, as other food brands have taken similar action to address safety concerns.

Just months earlier, a well-known granola bar company voluntarily recalled several of its products after discovering the potential presence of metal fragments, highlighting an ongoing industry focus on consumer safety and product quality.

In its statement, MadeGood Foods said, "There is a very small risk that some of our granola bar products made between January and November 2024 may contain a piece of metal." The metal was described as a small, flat brush bristle.

The FDA also announced the recall on its website on December 9, 2024. At that time, it was revealed that Riverside Natural Foods Inc. voluntarily recalled certain batches of MadeGood granola bars due to the same issue.

The FDA stated that if consumed, the metal could pose a safety hazard. MadeGood addressed the source of the issue, and regulatory authorities are aware of the recall. The company remarked that it initiated the recall "out of an abundance of caution and commitment to the well-being of our valued customers."

The company also reassured customers that they should not be overly concerned, as it received only seven complaints out of the hundreds of millions of bars sold, with no injury reports made.

MadeGood urged people to check their Universal Product Codes (UPCs) and expiration dates against the affected items and return any recalled products to the stores where they were purchased for a full refund.

The statement further stated that the returned products would be destroyed. The FDA classified the recalled products as Class II, defining it as "a situation in which use of or exposure to a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote."

The full recall list was available in .pdf format through a link on the company's statement on its website. It could also be found by searching here. Some of the recalled products included Chocolate Chip Granola Bars, Mixed Berry Granola Bars, Strawberry Granola Bars, Cookies & Crème Granola Bars, Chocolate Banana Granola Bars, and Chocolate Drizzled Birthday Cake Granola Bars.

It also included Chocolate Drizzled Cookie Crumble Granola Bars and Chocolate Drizzled Vanilla Granola Bars. MadeGood conducted an extensive investigation at the manufacturing facility where the recalled products were produced. The source of the issue was identified in the manufacturing process and has since been corrected.

The company confirmed that the issue has been resolved, and new processes have been tested to ensure that similar problems are fully mitigated in the future. To date, 2,408,883 granola bar products have been recalled.

Those who believed they might have a product listed in the recall could click on this link for more information. For additional support, customers could call the MadeGood Consumer Hotline at 855-215-5695 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST.

MadeGood products are sold throughout the US, Canada, and internationally in various retail stores and online. The company said it was working with retailers to ensure all recalled products were promptly removed from shelves.

MadeGood's granola bar products are not the only ones recalled in recent months. The FDA revealed on its website that over 2,000 cases of chicken broth have also been recalled.

The recalled products were sold at Walmart stores in nine states. According to the FDA's enforcement report, the product was labeled as "Great Value, Chicken Broth, 48 oz., Aseptic paper cartons, 6 retail units per case, 120 cases/pallet."

The recall was initiated due to a "Potential for packaging failures that could compromise the sterility of the product, resulting in spoilage." The affected cartons were labeled with a "Best Used By" date of March 25, 2026, a batch or lot code of 98F09234, and the following UPCs: 007874206684 for retail units and 078742066844 for cases.

The product's manufacturer, Tree House Foods Inc., voluntarily recalled the product on December 11, 2024. According to reports, it distributed 2,023 cases to 242 Walmart stores across nine states: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.

An FDA report stated that TreeHouse Foods notified consignees of the recall by telephone. Although the recall was ongoing, the company did not issue a press release. Walmart reportedly removed the affected products from its shelves immediately after learning about the issue.

The retailer said, "The health and safety of our customers is always a top priority." The statement continued, "As soon as we were made aware of the issue, we took action to remove all impacted (products) from … select, impacted stores. We are continuing to work with the supplier to investigate."

Walmart advised customers who purchased the product not to consume it and to dispose of it immediately. Additionally, customers could also request a full refund.