12 Biggest Bread Recalls In U.S. History

Bread is a staple in most American households, but sometimes even our trusted loaves can pose health risks.
I’ve always been fascinated by food safety after witnessing a family member get sick from contaminated food years ago.
The bread industry has faced numerous significant recalls that affected millions of consumers across the country.
Let’s look at the most impactful bread recalls that shook our breakfast tables and sandwich-making routines throughout U.S. history.
1. Bimbo Bakeries’ Metal Fragment Nightmare

Back in 2015, I nearly choked on what could have been a piece of wire in my morning toast! Turns out, I wasn’t alone. Bimbo Bakeries USA, the largest bakery company in America, recalled over 48,000 packages of bread after discovering they might contain metal fragments.
The recall spanned 11 states and included popular brands like Sara Lee, Nature’s Harvest, and Great Value. What shocked me most was learning the metal pieces came from a broken conveyor belt at one of their facilities.
Fortunately, only one minor injury was reported, but the incident cost the company millions in lost revenue and damaged consumer trust. The FDA classified it as a Class II recall, meaning the products might cause temporary health problems but likely wouldn’t cause serious harm.
2. Aldi’s Glass-Contaminated Bread Scare

Shopping at Aldi has always been my budget-friendly go-to, but in 2019, their L’oven Fresh bread had me double-checking every slice! The discount supermarket chain recalled their white and wheat bread products across multiple states after receiving reports of glass particles in the loaves.
The contamination originated from a broken light fixture at their supplier’s facility. Can you imagine biting into your sandwich and crunching down on glass? Several customers reported finding clear, hard fragments in their bread, though thankfully no injuries were confirmed.
Aldi offered full refunds without requiring receipts, which I thought was a stand-up move. The recall affected approximately 35,000 loaves and highlighted the importance of proper facility maintenance in food production areas.
3. Upper Crust Bakery’s Unlisted Allergen Fiasco

My nephew has severe nut allergies, so the 2018 Upper Crust Bakery recall hit close to home. The California-based company recalled thousands of bread products when they discovered their multi-grain varieties contained undeclared walnuts and pecans!
The bakery had accidentally mixed labels between their nut-containing and nut-free products. For three weeks, people with allergies unknowingly consumed potentially life-threatening ingredients. Eight allergic reactions were reported, with three requiring hospitalization.
What made this recall particularly troubling was that Upper Crust had received customer complaints about nuts in supposedly nut-free bread but delayed taking action. The FDA subsequently fined the company and required them to implement new allergen control protocols, including dedicated production lines for allergen-free products.
4. Piantedosi’s Listeria-Laden Loaves

“Your bread shouldn’t come with a side of bacteria!” That’s what I told my husband when Piantedosi Baking Company announced their massive recall in 2012. The Massachusetts-based bakery discovered Listeria monocytogenes contamination in their facility during routine testing.
The recall included over 60 different bread products distributed to restaurants, hotels, and institutions across New England. Listeria is particularly dangerous for pregnant women, elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems. The contamination was traced to a cooling system that wasn’t properly sanitized.
As a frequent diner at local restaurants, this recall made me realize how many hands our food passes through before reaching our plates. Piantedosi ultimately had to shut down operations for two weeks for deep cleaning, costing them nearly $2 million in lost business and remediation.
5. Bond Bread’s Salmonella Outbreak

Summer of 2008 brought more than just heat – it delivered Bond Bread’s infamous salmonella scare right to my family reunion! The historic bread brand, once a household name throughout the Mid-Atlantic, recalled over 75,000 packages after their flour supplier reported salmonella contamination.
The recall expanded when 26 people across five states fell ill after consuming Bond’s hamburger and hot dog buns. My cousin was among them, spending three miserable days with severe stomach cramps and fever. Laboratory testing confirmed the same salmonella strain in both patients and bread samples.
Bond’s parent company faced a class-action lawsuit from affected consumers. What surprised me most was learning that the contaminated flour had been recalled weeks earlier, but Bond continued using existing stock rather than disposing of potentially tainted ingredients.
6. Sara Lee’s Deadly Listeria Crisis

The 2001 Sara Lee recall haunts me to this day – it was the first time I realized food could actually kill. The company recalled 35 million pounds of deli meat and bread products after a Listeria outbreak linked to their Michigan plant caused 15 deaths and 6 miscarriages.
While primarily affecting their meat products, the cross-contamination reached their bread lines too. Sara Lee ended up recalling all bread products manufactured at the facility, including dinner rolls and sandwich buns. The company later pleaded guilty to selling adulterated food and paid $4.4 million in fines.
This recall fundamentally changed food safety regulations in America. The tragedy prompted the USDA and FDA to implement more stringent testing requirements for ready-to-eat products. For me, it was a sobering reminder that even trusted brands can make catastrophic mistakes.
7. Hostess Brands’ Peanut Butter Peril

Twinkies might be immortal, but Hostess bread sure isn’t immune to contamination! In 2009, I was helping organize a school bake sale when news broke about Hostess recalling their bread products due to potential salmonella contamination from peanut butter.
The recall wasn’t directly Hostess’s fault – they were caught in the massive Peanut Corporation of America scandal that affected over 3,900 products nationwide. Hostess had to pull their peanut butter sandwich bread and several other varieties containing peanut ingredients from shelves across all 50 states.
Nine people died and over 700 fell ill from the contaminated peanut products. The PCA executives were eventually sentenced to prison terms for knowingly shipping tainted products. This recall taught me to always check ingredient sourcing, even in foods you wouldn’t expect to contain certain ingredients.
8. EarthGrains’ E. Coli Emergency

“Mom, why are you throwing out all our bread?” My daughter’s question still rings in my ears from the 2007 EarthGrains recall. The company, owned by Sara Lee Corporation, recalled over 27,000 loaves of bread after discovering E. coli O157:H7 contamination in their Oklahoma facility.
The contamination was traced to irrigation water used on wheat fields. Twelve people were hospitalized with severe symptoms including bloody diarrhea and kidney complications. One elderly man in Kansas sadly passed away after consuming contaminated bread.
What made this recall particularly noteworthy was that it challenged the assumption that baking kills all harmful bacteria. While the baking process eliminated most pathogens, post-baking contamination occurred during slicing and packaging. EarthGrains subsequently installed new sanitation systems and implemented testing protocols that became industry standards.
9. Great Value’s Foreign Object Fiasco

My weekly Walmart shopping trip turned into a scavenger hunt in 2017 when Great Value bread was pulled from shelves nationwide! Walmart’s store brand faced a massive recall after customers reported finding everything from rubber bands to plastic pieces in their loaves.
The recall expanded to include over 20 different bread products manufactured by their supplier, Pan-O-Gold Baking Company. An investigation revealed that worn-out conveyor belts were shedding rubber pieces into the dough during production. Additionally, plastic packaging was accidentally getting incorporated into the mixing process.
More than 30 customers reported finding foreign objects, with three minor injuries reported from people biting into hard plastic pieces. This recall highlighted the challenges of maintaining quality control in high-volume, low-cost bread production and prompted Walmart to implement stricter supplier auditing procedures.
10. Nature’s Harvest Mold Mayhem

Green fuzzy spots shouldn’t be a bread feature! In 2016, I discovered this firsthand when opening a loaf of Nature’s Harvest whole grain bread just two days after purchase. The brand, owned by Bimbo Bakeries, recalled thousands of loaves across 16 states after widespread reports of premature molding.
The investigation revealed a fascinating culprit: Nature’s Harvest had recently removed certain preservatives in response to consumer demand for “cleaner” ingredients. Unfortunately, they hadn’t properly adjusted their manufacturing process to compensate for the reduced shelf life. Bread was molding days before the printed expiration dates.
While mold itself wasn’t considered a severe health hazard for most people, some varieties could produce mycotoxins. The recall cost the company an estimated $3.5 million and led to a complete reformulation of their preservation methods, balancing consumer preferences for fewer additives with practical shelf-life requirements.
11. Stroehmann Dutch Country’s Plastic Puzzle

Crunch isn’t supposed to come from sandwich bread! In 2014, Stroehmann Dutch Country bread became the center of a bizarre recall when consumers started finding blue plastic pieces mixed throughout their loaves. I remember my neighbor bringing over a slice with what looked like a piece of a pen cap baked right in!
The recall affected over 30,000 loaves distributed primarily in the Northeast. The plastic fragments came from a broken dough mixer paddle that had gradually shed pieces into multiple batches. Stroehmann’s parent company, Bimbo Bakeries, offered full refunds and coupons to affected customers.
While no serious injuries occurred, several people reported mouth lacerations and dental issues from biting into the hard plastic. The incident prompted the bakery to install metal detectors and X-ray machines capable of detecting non-metallic foreign objects – technology previously considered unnecessary in bread production.
12. Farm Bread’s Bacterial Bombshell

“You’ll never believe what was lurking in our bread!” I told my book club after the 2013 Farm Bread recall rocked our small Midwestern town. The regional bakery recalled all products after health officials linked their sourdough to a Bacillus cereus outbreak that sickened over 40 people.
The bacteria, which causes vomiting and diarrhea, had contaminated the sourdough starter used in multiple bread varieties. Farm Bread’s artisanal approach became their downfall – they maintained the same sourdough starter for years, allowing the bacteria to gradually colonize it. Their traditional open-air fermentation methods further contributed to the contamination.
What made this recall particularly interesting was how it exposed the tension between traditional baking methods and modern food safety standards. Farm Bread eventually reopened with modified procedures that maintained their artisanal character while implementing scientific testing protocols to ensure their products were safe for consumption.