The Major Canned Food Recall That Pulled 15 Millions Pounds Of Pasta Off The Shelves

There is such a thing as food so heinously good it can be eaten straight from the can without judgment. For many, Campbell's SpaghettiOs take the title for the best canned food, because there's something about spaghetti in a can that rings the bells of nostalgia. However, in 2010, the iconic canned pasta made headlines for all the wrong reasons when the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced that Campbell's issued a voluntary recall of around 15 million pounds of the SpaghettiOs due to suspected under-processing.

Three different varieties of SpaghettiOs were included in the recall, including SpaghettiOs with Meatballs, SpaghettiOs A to Z with Meatballs, and SpaghettiOs Fun Shapes with Meatballs (Cars). The voluntary recall was issued after a routine inspection of the company's Paris, Texas facility led to an investigation. A spokesperson for Campbell's gave a statement saying that there was "no information indicating that any underprocessed product has reached consumers." Though if the product were to be consumed, it could cause gastrointestinal issues. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) also noted that no injuries were reported as a result of the recalled product.

The Campbell's SpaghettiO recall was just one of many canned food recalls that affected millions, and under-processing is certainly a safety hazard worth avoiding. Processing is what takes place in facilities to prevent possible dangers like harmful bacteria and mold. In facilities that process meat, processing is what makes the meat fit for human consumption. Mishaps in this part of the food manufacturing process can include hazards like physical contamination, chemical or microbiological contamination, defective or improper packaging, or partially cooked food.

While it's considered normal to find some of these processing issues, if too many are found, and it's thought to be a health risk, a recall will follow. Establishments are required to maintain a recall plan for instances like the one involving the SpaghettiOs, and facilities must notify the Food and Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) within twenty-four hours of discovering the issues. The FSIS performs routine investigations of food processing facilities, where they take various samples on location. These samples are tested to ensure the food moving through the location is fit for human consumption. There are several ways to stay informed on food recalls, but the easiest is perhaps the FSIS email service that sends alerts when recalls occur.