Dunkin' Is Part Of A 2 Million Nationwide Baked Goods Recall

There's a voluntary recall alert, this time involving one of America's most popular coffee and baked good chains, Dunkin'. The recall was quietly issued in January, with a press release only coming out well after the fact, on February 5. This recall, a result of potential listeria contamination, affects many popular varieties of Dunkin' donuts. 

The donuts involved in the recall were manufactured by an Indiana-based company called FGF Brands, and included popular items like Bavarian Kreme donuts, French Crullers, and Munchkins. FGF released a statement saying that the recall was strictly "a precautionary measure based on non product related findings at one of our donut facilities in the US."

No surfaces involved in food preparation, nor donuts, tested positive for listeria; the manufacturer is simply being extra-careful since consumables could have potentially been affected. At the time of writing, no listeria-related illnesses have been reported as a result of these donuts.

At this point, there is no reason to panic, as the donuts of concern would already have expired, and thus wouldn't be in display cases any longer. So, if you're looking to buy a big box of Munchkins for the office, you can do so without any concern. (No need to fry up a batch of canned biscuit donut holes.)

In case you're curious about why this is so important, listeria infection is one of the most common sources of food-borne illness, but is mainly of concern for vulnerable populations like the immunocompromised, the elderly, pregnant people, and children. Regular symptoms of listeria poisoning include things like diarrhea, stomach pain, nausea, and headaches. Pregnant individuals need to be extra careful, as listeriosis (the technical term for listeria poisoning) has the rare potential to cause stillbirth. The grand majority of listeria contamination come from deli meat, which is why doctors advise pregnant folks to always heat deli meats prior to consumption. 

In this case, the popular chain's donuts are no longer an item of concern, and you're free to return to your Dunkin' blueberry cobbler coffees and baked treats without fear.