That familiar crunch of opening a fresh box of crackers shouldn’t come with worry, but recent years have seen some pretty shocking recalls that caught families completely off guard. From metal fragments showing up in oyster crackers to popular Ritz varieties getting pulled from shelves nationwide, these incidents remind us that even the most basic snacks can sometimes go wrong. What makes these recalls particularly concerning is how they affected everyday products sitting in millions of pantries across America, turning routine snack time into potential safety hazards that required immediate action.
Metal fragments found in oyster crackers
Shearer’s Foods shocked customers in February 2025 when they discovered stainless steel wire fragments in their oyster crackers. The company immediately pulled over 15,000 cases from major retailers like Walmart, Target, and Giant Eagle across 24 states. These small, soup-friendly crackers were sold under multiple brand names including Market Pantry, Great Value, and Vista, making the recall particularly widespread since many people didn’t realize different store brands were all made by the same manufacturer.
The FDA classified this as a Class II recall, meaning the metal contamination could cause temporary health problems but wasn’t immediately life-threatening. Still, nobody wants to bite down on metal fragments while enjoying soup and crackers. The company never fully explained how stainless steel wire ended up in the production process, leaving customers wondering about quality control measures at food manufacturing facilities.
Trader Joe’s multigrain crackers contained metal pieces
TreeHouse Foods made headlines in August 2023 when metal fragments showed up in Trader Joe’s Multigrain Crackers with sunflower and flaxseeds. This recall affected over 13,000 cases, which equals nearly 200,000 pounds of the popular vegan snack. The discovery was particularly unsettling because these crackers were marketed as a healthy option, packed with seeds and whole grains that health-conscious shoppers specifically sought out for their families.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported from this incident, but it highlighted ongoing quality control issues at manufacturing facilities. This wasn’t an isolated problem for Trader Joe’s either – the same month saw recalls for their Almond Windmill Cookies due to possible rock contamination and their Broccoli Cheddar Soup for potential insect presence. These back-to-back recalls raised questions about supplier oversight and whether enough attention was being paid to third-party manufacturers producing store-brand products.
Animal crackers had undeclared coconut allergens
Publix GreenWise Animal Crackers seemed like the most innocent snack possible until 2022, when Toufayan Bakery discovered they contained undeclared coconut. This recall affected 8-ounce pouches sold across seven southeastern states, including Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. For families dealing with tree nut allergies, this mislabeling could have triggered serious reactions, especially since coconut allergies can be particularly severe and unexpected.
The company blamed a “temporary breakdown in production and packaging processes” for the contamination, but this explanation offered little comfort to parents who had already served these crackers to children with allergies. Tree nuts rank among the FDA’s nine major allergens, making proper labeling absolutely critical. The incident demonstrated how manufacturing errors can turn supposedly safe snacks into potential emergency room visits for families managing food allergies.
Vegan cheese crackers actually contained dairy
Back to Nature Cheddalicious Cheese Flavored Crackers promised a completely vegan experience, advertising no actual cheese or dairy ingredients while still delivering that beloved cheddar taste. The crackers were also marketed as free from GMOs, artificial colors, high-fructose corn syrup, and hydrogenated oils, making them attractive to health-conscious families. However, in 2022, certain batches were discovered to contain undeclared milk and eggs, completely contradicting their dairy-free promise.
This recall affected products shipped to 13 states, from Arizona to Wisconsin, leaving vegan families and those with dairy allergies feeling betrayed by a brand they trusted. B&G Foods issued the recall voluntarily as a precautionary measure, and fortunately no adverse health reactions were reported. Still, the incident highlighted how manufacturing mix-ups can completely undermine specialized products designed for people with specific dietary needs and restrictions.
Simple Mills crackers had wrong products inside boxes
Simple Mills built their reputation on gluten-free, nutrition-conscious snacks that people with dietary restrictions could trust completely. In 2021, their Fine Ground Sea Salt Almond Flour Crackers became the center of a potentially dangerous mix-up when boxes were accidentally filled with Farmhouse Cheddar Almond Flour Crackers instead. This meant people expecting dairy-free crackers were actually getting products containing milk, creating a serious hazard for anyone with milk allergies.
A customer discovered the error and alerted the company, preventing what could have been widespread allergic reactions. Only one person reported experiencing mild symptoms from the mislabeled product, but the situation could have been much worse. This incident showed how even well-intentioned companies focused on specialized dietary needs can make critical packaging errors that put their most vulnerable customers at risk.
Ritz crackers got mixed up in packaging
Ritz crackers have been America’s favorite buttery cracker since 1934, building a reputation for consistent quality and taste. However, in 2020, Mondelēz Global faced a serious packaging error when boxes labeled as Ritz Cheese Cracker Sandwiches actually contained Ritz Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers instead. This mix-up created a potentially life-threatening situation for anyone with peanut allergies who trusted the cheese labeling on the outside of the box.
Ironically, the packaging included a warning that the cheese crackers “may contain peanuts,” which likely prevented serious injuries since people with severe peanut allergies might have avoided the product entirely based on that cautionary language. The recall affected multiple carton sizes sold nationwide, demonstrating how packaging errors at major manufacturers can quickly impact millions of households across the country.
Cheese Nips contained yellow plastic fragments
Cheese Nips had been competing with Cheez-Its since 1955, earning a loyal following for their crunchy texture and rich cheddar taste. But in 2019, the Nabisco snack faced a nationwide recall when yellow plastic pieces from manufacturing equipment ended up in the crackers. These “food-grade yellow plastic pieces” had broken off from a dough scraper used in the production process, creating an unexpected and unwelcome crunch in what should have been a smooth snacking experience.
Mondelēz Global pulled the products from shelves as a precautionary measure, even though no injuries had been reported at the time. The incident raised concerns about equipment maintenance and quality control in large-scale food manufacturing. While food-grade plastic sounds less alarming than metal fragments, nobody expects to find any foreign objects in their snack crackers, regardless of whether they’re technically safe to consume.
Goldfish crackers faced salmonella contamination
Goldfish crackers have been a lunchbox staple since Pepperidge Farm introduced them to American families in 1962. The colorful, fish-shaped crackers became synonymous with childhood snacking, making the 2018 salmonella recall particularly concerning for parents. Four popular varieties were affected: Flavor Blasted Xtra Cheddar, Flavor Blasted Sour Cream & Onion, Goldfish Baked with Whole Grain Xtra Cheddar, and Goldfish Mix Xtra Cheddar + Pretzel.
The contamination traced back to whey powder supplied by Associated Milk Producers, which was used to season the crackers. This same ingredient issue affected multiple manufacturers simultaneously, showing how problems at one supplier can ripple through the entire food industry. Salmonella contamination is particularly dangerous for young children, who represent the primary consumers of Goldfish crackers, making this recall especially urgent for families with kids.
Multiple Ritz products recalled for salmonella risk
The same contaminated whey powder that affected Goldfish crackers also impacted various Ritz products in 2018, creating a widespread recall across multiple cracker brands simultaneously. Mondelēz Global pulled Ritz Bits and Ritz Cracker Sandwiches from shelves in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This recall demonstrated how a single contaminated ingredient from one supplier could create a domino effect across different manufacturers and product lines.
Sixteen different varieties of Ritz products were affected, including individually packaged cups and bags that parents commonly packed in school lunches. The timing was particularly problematic since these crackers are popular with children, who face higher risks from salmonella infections than healthy adults. While no illnesses were reported at the time of the nationwide recall, the incident highlighted vulnerabilities in the food supply chain and reminded families to pay attention to recall notices even for seemingly safe products.
These cracker recalls serve as important reminders that even the most trusted snack brands can face serious safety issues. From metal fragments to allergen mix-ups to bacterial contamination, these incidents show why staying informed about food recalls matters for every household. The good news is that most of these problems were caught before causing widespread illness, thanks to improved monitoring systems and consumer reporting.
