Revealed: the most shocking food recalls of all time

Food scandals that rocked the world

Although uncommon, food recalls serve as powerful reminders of the fragility of our global food systems. From contaminated baby formula to tainted fruit and harmful additives, these incidents have caused thousands of illnesses, sparked consumer outrage, shattered trust, and cost companies billions.

Click or scroll through our gallery to discover some of the biggest food recalls in history – counting down to the most shocking of all.

All dollar amounts are in USD, unless otherwise stated.

11. Compromised chili powder

In February 2005, the UK's Food Standards Agency carried out a random inspection of Crosse and Blackwell Worcestershire Sauce, made by Premier Foods. They discovered it contained chili powder that had been contaminated by Sudan I, an industrial dye that had been banned in 2003 after it was shown to cause cancer in lab animals. The discovery sparked one of the biggest food recalls in UK history.

11. Compromised chili powder

As the contaminated sauce was used by food companies to flavor pizzas, frozen meals, soups, and dressings, more than 600 food products had to be recalled at a cost of £100 million – that's around £177 million ($242m) today. Big-name brands like Heinz and Pot Noodle were affected, as were most of the UK's major grocery stores, including Marks & Spencer, Waitrose, Asda, Tesco, Morrisons, and Sainsbury's. Food exported from the UK triggered recalls and consumer warnings in 12 European countries and Canada.

10. Contaminated eggs, poultry, and pork

In December 2010, German authorities discovered that 227 tons of industrial fatty acids derived from biodiesel production had entered the food chain illegally after being mixed with vegetable fat used to make animal feed. These fatty acids contained highly toxic dioxins, which are linked to cancer and reproductive issues. Around 3,300 tons of animal feed were contaminated, some of which entered the food chain after being eaten by poultry, pigs, cattle, and rabbits.

10. Contaminated eggs, poultry, and pork

More than 4,700 German farms were temporarily closed and the export of eggs and meat paused. Though no illnesses were reported, consumer confidence in Germany and across Europe was severely damaged. It was made worse when 15.5 tons of eggs from affected farms made their way into British food products via a factory in the Netherlands. In this image, police raid German animal feed producer Harles and Jentsch's production facility in Uetersen, Germany in 2011.

9. Lead-tainted noodles

In March 2015, routine lab testing carried out on Nestlé's Maggi noodles in India revealed lead levels at 17.2ppm – that's almost seven times the legal limit of 2.5ppm. The noodles were also found to contain monosodium glutamate (MSG), despite claims of 'No Added MSG' on the packaging. Approximately 400 million packets – that's 42,000 tons – of Maggi noodles were recalled and destroyed across India.

9. Lead-tainted noodles

All nine varieties of the noodles were banned across India in June 2015. They returned to the shelves five months later, after passing new safety tests. Nestlé India reportedly suffered a net loss of 644 million rupees ($7.5m) in the April-June 2015 quarter due to the recall. The scandal also wiped almost 100 billion rupees ($1.2bn) from the company's market capitalization. Nestlé India's reputation was badly damaged, and shoppers switched – at least temporarily – to other brands.

8. Beef from ill and abused cows

In February 2008, the Humane Society of the United States released undercover footage of workers at the Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing plant in Chino, California (pictured) abusing cows that were too injured or ill to walk. They moved the animals illegally using cattle prods and forklifts – which is against US regulations, as animals unable to walk could be suffering from bacterial contamination or BSE, commonly known as 'mad cow disease,' and should not enter the food chain.

8. Beef from ill and abused cows

The US Department of Agriculture ordered the recall of more than 143 million pounds of beef, the largest beef recall in history. Unfortunately, around 37 million pounds of beef had already been distributed to the National School Lunch Program and Indigenous reservations. Most had already been eaten by the time it was recalled. In 2012, Hallmark/Westland was hit with a $497 million fine. While the company couldn't pay it due to bankruptcy, it's the largest court judgement ever entered for animal abuse.

7. Compromised frozen berries

In February 2015, several Australians contracted Hepatitis A, reporting symptoms of fever, nausea, and loss of appetite. The illness was traced back to two frozen berry brands – Nanna’s and Creative Gourmet, both distributed by Patties Foods. Their products were found to contain berries sourced in China and Chile, which were quickly linked to the outbreak.

7. Compromised frozen berries

At least 14 people across Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, and Western Australia fell ill with Hepatitis A, which – in extreme cases – can be fatal. The frozen berry recall caused a AU$14.6 million ($9.5m) reduction in profit compared to the previous year, according to the company's chairman. On a positive note, it also led to stricter import testing and labeling laws.

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6. Salmonella-tainted baby milk

In December 2017, the French government issued an international alert warning that batches of infant formula could be contaminated with the potentially deadly bacterium Salmonella Agona. Lactalis, one of the world's largest dairy producers, issued a recall of all products made at its factory in Craon, northwest France, but only after some had already been distributed to consumers. Subsequent investigations revealed the company had detected contamination months earlier but had delayed action. 

6. Salmonella-tainted baby milk

At least 38 children in France fell ill from salmonella-tainted baby formula, with additional cases in Greece and Spain. Lactalis recalled 12 million boxes across 85 countries as a result. Though compensation details remain undisclosed, the company filed a €1 billion lawsuit in 2023 against Eurofins Scientific, alleging it failed to detect the contamination. Eurofins dismissed the claim as 'unfounded' and 'frivolous.' This French official was photographed inspecting baby milk products in a grocery store in Orléans, France in January 2018.

5. Contaminated pet foods

In March 2007, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) received reports that some pet foods were making cats and dogs seriously ill. An investigation revealed that ingredients imported from China and used in pet food made by the Canadian company Menu Foods had been contaminated with melamine, an industrial chemical used in the production of plastics. More than 150 pet food brands were affected, including popular labels like Iams, Eukanuba, and Science Diet.

5. Contaminated pet foods

A study by Michigan State University found that more than 300 cats and dogs may have died from eating the contaminated food, which caused kidney failure. Menu Foods recalled 60 million units of dog and cat food. They agreed to pay $24 million to resolve more than 100 class action suits filed in the US and Canada. This photo shows an FDA chemist using gas chromatography to measure levels of melamine in food samples.

4. Listeria-tainted ice cream

In February 2015, routine sampling by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control in the USA revealed the presence of listeria in Blue Bell single-serving ice cream. The contamination was traced back to Blue Bell production facilities in Texas, Oklahoma, and Alabama. Two months later, Blue Bell recalled all of its products, including ice cream, sherbet, frozen yogurt, and other frozen snacks, across 23 states.

4. Listeria-tainted ice cream

Of the 10 people known to have been infected, all were hospitalized, and three people in Kansas died. In 2020, Blue Bell pleaded guilty to distributing contaminated products and paid out more than $19 million in fines and settlements. In March 2023, the company's former chief executive, Paul Kruse, avoided jail time on felony fraud charges by agreeing to plead guilty to lesser charges of food safety violations. He also had to pay a $100,000 fine.

3. Bacteria-carrying cantaloupes

In May 2011, Eric and Ryan Jensen, the owners of Jensen Farms in Granada, Colorado, changed their system for cleaning the cantaloupe melons grown on their farm – and while this might seem minor, the implications were catastrophic. The equipment was supposed to spray the fruit with chlorine; however, the spray wasn't used, despite the farmers knowing the cantaloupes could be contaminated by bacteria if not washed thoroughly. As a result, the tainted fruit caused a listeria outbreak across 28 states.

3. Bacteria-carrying cantaloupes

In total, 147 people were infected with listeria, which is particularly dangerous for the elderly, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems. As a result, 143 were hospitalized and 33 lost their lives. Jensen Farms recalled 594lbs of fresh-cut cantaloupe processed in Kansas and 4,800 packages processed in New York. The Jensen brothers filed for bankruptcy and pleaded guilty to introducing the tainted fruit into interstate commerce. They each received six months' home detention and five years' probation, as well as 100 hours of community service.

2. Contaminated nuts

As early as 2004, the Peanut Corporation of America began shipping to customers nuts that had either tested positive for Salmonella or had not been tested at all. In early September 2008, the first person fell ill as a result of what would soon become a devastating Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak. The scandal sparked one of the largest food recalls in US history. 

2. Contaminated nuts

The 2009 Salmonella outbreak linked to the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) caused 714 confirmed illnesses and nine deaths, though the CDC estimates the true number may have been closer to 22,000. At least 3,900 products were recalled by 361 companies, leading to a 25% drop in peanut sales and a $1 billion industry loss. In 2015, PCA owner Stewart Parnell (pictured) was convicted on 67 felony counts, including conspiracy and fraud, and sentenced to 28 years in prison.

1. Toxic milk and infant formula

In September 2008, 14 babies were revealed to have fallen ill after drinking milk powder made by the Sanlu Group, then China's biggest milk powder producer. A nationwide investigation found that the formula contained the toxic chemical melamine. It was later discovered that Sanlu had known it was selling toxic milk, yet it allowed 993 tons of it to leave its dairies before halting production.

1. Toxic milk and infant formula

More than 300,000 infants fell ill after ingesting the contaminated milk, and at least six children died. As a result, 19 people were jailed for their part in the scandal, including Sanlu's former chairwoman, who received a life sentence; two others were executed. In total, 22 dairy companies were implicated and paid 1.1 billion yuan ($154m) into a compensation fund. Consumer trust collapsed, leading to widespread destruction of uncollected milk. The scandal triggered global outrage and exposed serious flaws in China’s food safety system.

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