Salad dressing recall: Thousands of cases of popular brands recalled nationwide

Thousands of cases of popular salad dressings sold at major retailers like Costco and Publix have been recalled nationwide. The recall was issued after foreign material was discovered in an ingredient used during production. Federal officials have now classified the recall and released details on the affected products and locations.

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Why were the salad dressings recalled?

Ventura Foods LLC, a California-based food manufacturer, has recalled thousands of cases of salad dressing distributed nationwide. According to an enforcement report from the Food and Drug Administration, the recall involves a total of 3,556 cases due to the presence of “foreign objects," as per a report by Today.


The issue was traced back to black plastic planting material that was discovered in the granulated onion ingredient used in the dressings. The company initiated the recall on Nov. 6. On Dec. 4, the FDA officially classified the action as a Class II recall, meaning the affected products “may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.”

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Which salad dressings were affected?

Several brands and bulk-sized products were included in the recall. The affected items include Italian salad dressing, Caesar dressing, creamy ranch varieties, and avocado ranch dressing and dip. These products were sold primarily in large food service containers and included specific SKUs tied to the recall.

Among the recalled items were products labeled for Costco service deli use, Costco food court use, and select Pepper Mill and Ventura-branded dressings. One Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch product was also listed, though it was intended only for food service and was never distributed to consumers, as per a report by Today.

A spokesperson for Hidden Valley Ranch shared the following statement with TODAY.com regarding the recall:
“No Hidden Valley Ranch products sold in stores to consumers are included in the voluntary recall. A professional Hidden Valley Original Buttermilk Ranch Dressing & Dip (one-gallon size), intended solely for food service and that was never distributed, was listed in a voluntary recall initiated by Ventura Foods, a third-party partner that manufactures this product.”

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Where were the products distributed?

Ventura Foods distributed the recalled salad dressings to seven retail customers, including Costco and Publix, across 42 locations. The products were shipped to stores in 27 states, including Florida, Georgia, Texas, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, and Washington. One customer in Costa Rica also received the affected product.

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What did Costco tell customers?

Costco issued a recall notice to customers on Nov. 7 related to prepared food items that contained the affected dressing, as per a report by Today.

The notice stated, “Costco and Ventura foods are announcing the recall of select Sell By dates of Item# 19927 Caesar Salad and Item# 11444 Chicken Sandwich w/ Caesar Salad due to the possible presence of plastic foreign material in the salad dressing of the items. Affected products are labeled with Sell By Dates between 10/17/25 and 11/9/25. Please stop eating the product and return the item to your local Costco for a full refund.”

FAQs

Why were these salad dressings recalled?
Black plastic material was found in an ingredient used during production.

Are store-sold Hidden Valley products affected?
No, consumer retail products were not included in the recall.