Costco recalls Caesar Salad and Chicken Sandwich over plastic in dressing

Nov, 26 2025

On November 25, 2025, Costco Wholesale Corporation issued a surprise recall for two of its most popular ready-to-eat meals — the Caesar Salad (Item #19927) and the Chicken Sandwich with Caesar Salad (Item #11444) — after plastic fragments were found in the dressing. The contamination originated at Ventura Foods, a Brea, California-based supplier, which detected the foreign material during routine quality checks. The affected products, bearing Lot Number 19927 and sell-by dates between October 17 and November 9, 2025, were sold at select warehouses across the Midwest, Northeast, and Southeast U.S. Customers were told to stop eating them immediately — not because of foodborne illness, but because swallowing even small pieces of plastic could cause choking or internal injury.

How the Recall Unfolded

The chain of events began when Ventura Foods, which produces Caesar dressing for multiple national retailers, noticed irregularities in a batch of dressing during a production line inspection. Workers spotted thin, translucent plastic shards — likely from damaged packaging or equipment — mixed into the dressing. The company didn’t wait. They notified Costco within 48 hours, and by November 20, Costco had pulled the affected items from shelves and began preparing its public recall notice. The delay between the discovery and public announcement was due to internal verification and logistics coordination, not negligence. According to Costco’s official recall page, the decision was made to act fast because these are ready-to-eat meals, often consumed without further cooking or inspection.

What makes this recall unusual is how specific it is. Most food recalls target broad categories — “all salad kits” or “all chicken sandwiches.” But here, only two SKUs with one lot number were affected. That precision suggests Ventura Foods’ quality control caught the issue early, before it spread widely. Still, the fact that plastic made it into a dressing used in meals sold to millions is alarming. No injuries have been reported, but the potential is real. One customer in Ohio told a local news outlet she found a 3-millimeter piece of plastic in her salad after refrigerating it for two days. “I didn’t eat it,” she said. “But I felt sick just thinking about it.”

Who’s Affected and Where

The recall covers only Costco warehouses in 17 states: from Ohio and Pennsylvania down to Florida, and west to Missouri and Oklahoma. It does not include stores in California, Texas, or the Pacific Northwest. The reason? Distribution patterns. Ventura Foods’ contaminated batch was shipped exclusively to regional distribution centers serving those three corridors. Costco has not released exact warehouse numbers, but customers who bought the items between October 17 and November 9 should check their receipts or fridge labels. The packaging includes a lot code — 19927 — and a sell-by date. If both match, it’s recalled.

Customers are instructed to either throw the product away or bring it back for a full refund — no receipt needed. Costco’s customer service line has seen a 400% spike in calls since the recall was announced. “We’re not asking people to prove they bought it,” a spokesperson said. “We’re asking them to protect themselves.”

Why This Matters Beyond the Salad Bowl

This isn’t just about plastic in dressing. It’s about how fragile our food supply chain has become. Ventura Foods is a Tier 1 supplier — trusted, established, and audited regularly. Yet plastic still slipped through. The Ventura Foods incident echoes similar cases in 2023, when plastic shards were found in Nestlé’s bottled water and in a major supermarket’s pre-packaged chicken salad. Each time, the culprit was a small, overlooked part of machinery — a cracked gasket, a frayed conveyor belt, a loose screw. These aren’t grand failures. They’re tiny, silent ones.

“The food industry has gotten better at detecting pathogens,” said Dr. Lena Ruiz, a food safety analyst at the Center for Public Health and Food Systems. “But we’re still terrible at detecting physical contaminants like plastic, glass, or metal — especially when they’re small and inert. They don’t grow. They don’t smell. They just sit there, waiting.”

Costco’s response has been praised for its speed and clarity. But the bigger question remains: Why wasn’t this caught before the dressing left Ventura Foods’ facility? And why did it take a customer complaint — not an internal audit — to trigger the recall in some cases?

What Happens Next

Costco says it’s working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to investigate the root cause. Ventura Foods has temporarily halted production of all Caesar dressing lines and is conducting a full equipment audit. The company has not issued a public statement beyond confirming its role in the recall.

For now, the recall remains active with no end date. Costco has not announced whether it will switch suppliers. Industry insiders say the relationship between Costco and Ventura Foods is long-standing — dating back over a decade — and likely won’t end over one incident. But pressure is mounting. Several consumer advocacy groups are calling for mandatory real-time monitoring of food processing lines, especially for ready-to-eat meals.

Meanwhile, shoppers are left with a simple, unsettling choice: trust the system, or question it. For many, the Caesar Salad was more than a lunch. It was convenience. Affordability. A reliable option after a long day. Now, it’s a cautionary tale.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my Caesar Salad is part of the recall?

Check the packaging for Lot Number 19927 and a sell-by date between October 17 and November 9, 2025. The affected items are specifically Costco’s Caesar Salad (Item #19927) and Chicken Sandwich with Caesar Salad (Item #11444). If you’re unsure, don’t eat it — return it anyway. Costco accepts returns without a receipt.

Has anyone been hurt by the plastic in the dressing?

As of now, no confirmed injuries have been reported. But the FDA warns that even small plastic fragments can cause choking, throat irritation, or internal abrasions, especially in children or elderly consumers. If you’ve eaten the product and feel abdominal pain, nausea, or difficulty swallowing, seek medical attention immediately.

Why did it take so long for Costco to announce the recall?

Costco waited until it could confirm the scope of the contamination and verify which distribution centers received the affected dressing. The company prioritized accuracy over speed — a deliberate move to avoid unnecessary panic. The recall was made public on November 25, 2025, after internal investigations and coordination with Ventura Foods were complete.

Will Costco replace the dressing supplier?

Costco has not announced any supplier changes. Ventura Foods has supplied dressing to Costco for over 12 years and remains a key partner. However, Costco is requiring stricter quality controls, including daily equipment inspections and third-party audits before production resumes. A new batch of dressing is expected in January 2026.

Is this the first time plastic has been found in Costco’s food?

No. In 2022, a customer found a plastic clip in a rotisserie chicken at a Costco in Michigan. That incident led to a limited recall of one batch. In 2024, a plastic film was detected in a frozen vegetable mix. Each time, Costco acted swiftly. But this is the first time plastic has been found in a dressing used in multiple ready-to-eat meals — making it more widespread and potentially riskier.

What should I do if I already ate the salad?

If you ate the product and feel fine, monitor yourself for 48 hours for symptoms like stomach pain, vomiting, or difficulty swallowing. If you notice anything unusual, contact your doctor and report it to the FDA’s MedWatch program. Even if you feel okay, it’s worth keeping the packaging — in case symptoms develop later.