FDA recalls thousands of gallons of salad dressing due to contamination concerns

The recalled dressings were sold in 42 U.S. states

Multiple popular salad dressings have been recalled due to contamination concerns.

Ventura Foods recalled 3,556 cases of its salad dressings last month, according to an enforcement report from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The recall was issued because of a potential foreign object, specifically black plastic planting material, in the dressings’ granulated onion.

The recall was upgraded to a Class II, meaning that consuming the product could cause significant health consequences, as of December 4.

Affected salad dressings were distributed to seven different retailers and food courts across 42 states.

The recalled items, manufactured by Ventura Foods, include Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch, Caesar Dressing from Costco Service Deli and Costco Food Court, Pepper Mill Creamy Caesar Dressing, Pepper Mill Regal Caesar Dressing, Italian Salad Dressing, and Creamy Poblano Avocado Ranch Dressing and Dip, and Ventura Caesar Dressing.

Salad dressings sent to retailers and food courts across 42 states have been recalled (Getty/iStock)

Specific products can be identified by their SKU numbers here.

While there haven’t been any illness reported to date, consumers with the affected dressings are urged to throw them away immediately or return them to the place of purchase.

A representative for Hidden Valley Ranch issued a statement about the recall, clarifying that its affected dressing was not sold to consumers.

“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,” the representative said.

The dressing recall comes a month after Costco removed two Caesar salad products, which were supplied by Ventura Foods, from shelves. In November, the retailer issued a notice to shoppers about a Caesar Salad and a Chicken Sandwich with Caesar Salad, which were being recalled due to the “presence of plastic foreign material in the salad dressing of these items.”

The affected products have the Sell By Dates between October 17, 2025, and November 9, 2025. The Chicken Sandwich with Caesar Salad can be identified by Item Number 11444, while the Caesar Salad can be identified by Item Number 19927.

Meanwhile, in October, Coca-Cola voluntarily recalled three packages of Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, and Sprite that were produced and distributed in Texas by Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, LLC—a subsidiary of global bottler Arca Continental. The recall was issued because some of those cans may contain small metal fragments that could cause internal injury if swallowed.

However, the recall was limited to products distributed in Texas, specifically in the McAllen/Rio Grande Valley and San Antonio areas. A Coca-Cola spokesperson also said that all affected products were removed from store shelves by October 10 “out of an abundance of caution.”