Country Time, Other Powdered Drinks Voluntarily Recalled Over Potential Glass, Metal Bits
The food company Kraft Heinz has voluntarily recalled select shipments of Country Time Lemonade and other powdered drinks because bits of glass and metal may have contaminated them during production.
The recall applies to Country Time Lemonade, Tang, and Arizona Tea powdered beverages as well as limited Kool-Aid powdered beverages with "Best When Used By" dates between May 10, 2023 and November 1, 2023, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The FDA also announced that the company had issued a voluntary recall of Country Time Lemonade and select Tang powdered beverages in Canada for the same issue. A full listing of the products being recalled can be viewed on the FDA website.
The issue was first discovered during an internal review at the products' manufacturing facility. Kraft Heinz is reportedly working with retail partners and distributors to remove the potentially tainted products from circulation.
Anyone who purchased these items can return them to the stores where they were purchased for a replacement.
The term "voluntary recall" refers to when a manufacturer or retailer negotiates with a federal agency in charge of overseeing product safety to remove hazardous items from the marketplace. While the term seemingly indicates the existence of "mandatory recalls" required by the government, nearly all announced recalls are voluntary, according to Consumer Reports.
Metallic bits can enter processed foods when they break off of machines that mix the ingredients, The Washington Post reported. Glass bits can sometimes be contained in dust particles that slip into food before its packaging is sealed.
The objects can cause choking and injure the intestinal tract if swallowed.
Reports of such contaminations have become more common over the last decade, according to the Post. Several factors have contributed to the rise.
Increased production to raise inventory and meet consumer needs can sometimes cause old machinery to break down. Consumers have used social media to make companies more aware of tainted products. A 2012 congressional mandate also compelled the United States Department of Agriculture to instate more stringent requirements for quickly detecting and reporting contaminated products.
The Kraft Heinz powdered drink recall is the latest in a series of recent food recalls.
In October, 14,000 pounds of ground turkey were recalled for fear of plastic contamination. That same month, seven different kinds of Crider Foods' canned beef products were recalled over potential lead contamination.
In August, Serenade Foods issued a recall for close to 60,000 pounds of frozen raw breaded stuffed chicken products due to possible salmonella contamination.
Newsweek contacted the FDA for comment.
