Costco forced to recall 80,000 LBS of butter due to labeling mistake
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) forced Costco to remove 79,200 pounds of butter from its Texas stores due to a labeling error.
The recall is centered around the 16oz packages of salted and unsalted Kirkland Signature Sweet Cream Butter.
The FDA confirmed in its November 7 release that some product labels may be missing the 'Contains Milk' statement.
The government agency classified the recall this month as Class II - a situation where a product may cause temporary or reversible health problems.
This is one of many product issues that Costco has had this year, including last month's salmon package recall.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) forced Costco to remove 79,200 pounds of butter from its Texas stores
The initial recall was made by Continental Dairy Facilities Southwest LLC on October 11
The Continental Dairy Facilities Southwest LLC initially recalled all the affected butter products on October 11.
About 1,300 cases of Kirkland Signature Unsalted Sweet Cream Butter and 900 cases of Kirkland Signature Salted Sweet Cream Butter were recalled.
All were produced and distributed by Texas-based Continental Dairy Facilities Southwest LLC.
It currently applies to unsalted butter packages with 'Best By' dates on the 22nd and 23rd of February 2025 and the 22nd and 23rd of March, 2025.
This recall also applies to affected salted butter packages with February 23, 2025, and March 29, 2025 'Best By' dates.
The FDA advised shoppers who've purchased a recalled product not to give it to other individuals or pets.
They've also pointed out that stores will often offer shoppers a full refund if the product was not used before the recall.
The FDA has explained what Costco customers can do if they've purchased the affected Kirkland unsalted or salted butter packages.
The recalled products were cases of Kirkland Signature Unsalted Sweet Cream Butter and Kirkland Signature Salted Sweet Cream Butter
The Centers for Disease Control explained milk can 'account for most serious allergic reactions in the United States' on its website.
Milk allergies are common, and at least two percent of children in the US have one.
Those with milk allergies could experience reactions like hives, vomiting, diarrhea, or itching if they ingest daily.
They could also suffer more severe allergic reactions like anaphylaxis shock, which could result in death.
Carol D'Lima, food technologist with the Office of Nutrition and Food Labeling at the FDA, insisted shoppers should check a label every time they purchase a product.
'If you're unsure about whether a food product contains any ingredient to which you are sensitive, don't buy it, or check with the manufacturer or distributor listed on the food product's label first to ask what it contains,' Carol D'Lima, food technologist with the Office of Nutrition and Food Labeling at the FDA, explained in 2023.
Although this recall was necessary, some social media users shared how 'stupid' they thought it was.
Anyone with a milk allergy who ingests the ingredient can suffer minor reactions like hives or vomiting
'Rather than waste 80,000 pounds of butter why don't they print stickers that say "Contains Milk" and save perfectly good food? So wasteful,' an X user wrote.
Another X user tweeted: 'Costco forced to recall 80,000 pounds of butter for the dumbest possible reason.'
A few X users believed the recall was the right thing to do despite the controversy behind the decision.
'But if the butter is mislabeled, consumers would literally be spreading misinformation - all over their toast, bagels, pancakes, baked potatoes, muffins - it's too horrific to think about,' an X user wrote.
