Trader Joe’s is recalling tamales, the company’s sixth since July

Trader Joe’s has issued a recall of its brand of black beans, the sixth item the popular grocery chain has recalled since July.

company He said Last week, the company recalled packages of Texas Tamale Gourmet Black Bean Tamales because they may contain undeclared milk.

“Individuals with an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk are at risk of developing a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products,” the FDA said in a report. statement.

The US Food and Drug Administration said the affected tamales were filled with white cheese and green peppers instead of black beans.

Trader Joe’s said no illnesses were reported in connection with the latest recall, and that all potentially affected products have been removed from sale.

Customers have been warned in recent weeks that other products may be contaminated with stones, insects and metals.

In July, Trader Joe’s He said They removed the cookies because they probably contained rocks and the unexpected broccoli cheddar soup because they probably contained insects. On August 17, Trader Joe’s said its multigrain crackers containing sunflower and flax seeds were recalled due to possible metal contamination.

The recalls have led to some concern among fans of the grocery chain, which has more than 500 stores across the country and is known among loyal customers as a hub for unique snacks and ready-to-eat meals. Its popularity has spawned Trader Joe’s food review Instagram accounts that have hundreds of thousands of followers.

“We are erring on the side of caution and being proactive in addressing issues,” Nakia Rudd, a spokeswoman for Trader Joe’s, said in a statement on Wednesday. “We are taking voluntary action quickly and aggressively – investigating potential issues and removing a product from sale if there is any doubt about its safety or its quality.

She added that the company “doesn’t wait for regulators to tell us what to do,” and that it shares news of the recalls through in-store signage, on its website and via email alerts.

“The recent timing of these recalls is coincidental,” Ms. Rudd said.

It’s “somewhat good” that Trader Joe’s product recalls are so public and transparent because “it’s a sign that things are going well,” said Darren Detwiler, associate professor of food safety and corporate social responsibility at Northeastern University.

“The Trader Joe’s team does a great job of making sure that if they have to do a recall, they not only do it, but they communicate it as well as possible,” said Dr. Detwiler.

He added that such recalls are common at grocery stores, but brand stores like Trader Joe’s are getting more attention. Dr. Detwiler also noted that the source of the recalls was from Trader Joe’s suppliers, which are smaller and not usually associated with other stores.

However, he said most of the items people buy at Trader Joe’s are ready-to-eat foods or commercially packaged goods, which means there are more manufacturing and processing steps involved in those products. These extra steps mean that there are more “chances of occurrence” for errors such as rocks or metal that end up in the product.

“The fact that this company is as public and transparent as they are is a very good sign,” said Dr. Detwiler.

“This just happens to be a bad series of hits for them,” he added.