A significant food safety alert has been issued across the United States, leading to the urgent recall of thousands of frozen, ready-to-eat meatball products sold exclusively at Aldi supermarkets. The recall was initiated after a customer complaint revealed the presence of dangerous metal fragments within the product, prompting immediate action from federal authorities.
USDA Issues High-Risk Class I Recall
According to an official announcement released on Monday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), Rosina Food Products, Inc., based in West Seneca, New York, has recalled approximately 9,462 pounds of frozen meatball products. The USDA has classified this recall as Class I, its highest risk level, indicating a reasonable probability that consumption could lead to serious adverse health consequences or even death.
Details of the Recalled Products
The affected items are 32-ounce bags of fully cooked frozen "Bremer Family Size Italian Style Meatballs." Each package contains roughly 64 meatballs and is marked with a Best By date of October 30, 2026. All products were produced on July 30, 2025, with specific timestamps between 17:08 and 18:20, and bear the establishment number "EST. 4286B" inside the USDA mark of inspection.
These meatballs, which have a 15-month shelf life, were distributed to Aldi stores nationwide. The potential metal contamination poses severe risks, including choking hazards and internal injuries. Although no injuries have been reported to date, the FSIS is strongly urging consumers to either discard the products immediately or return them to their place of purchase for a full refund.
A Pattern of Contamination Incidents
This recall is part of a broader trend of food safety concerns involving foreign material contamination across the country. In a separate incident last week, Food Lion alerted customers at its Midlothian, Virginia store about four varieties of ground beef contaminated with small pieces of a black rubber plastic gasket, which became dislodged during production on February 6.
Earlier this month, Ventura Foods LLC recalled thousands of jars of peanut butter and peanut butter and jelly snacks after blue plastic pieces were discovered during production. This recall, affecting over 20,000 products sold in 40 states, was later upgraded to a Class II by the FDA due to increased health risks.
Additionally, millions of pounds of frozen chicken fried rice products sold at Trader Joe's in the U.S. and Canada were recently recalled due to potential glass contamination, following four customer complaints. No injuries were reported in that case either.
Consumer Safety Recommendations
Authorities emphasize that consumers should check their freezers for the specific meatball products and adhere to the recall instructions. The FSIS continues to monitor the situation and advises vigilance regarding other recalled items to prevent accidental consumption and potential health emergencies.
