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Ventura Foods has pulled thousands of salad-dressing cases after discovering small pieces of plastic in an ingredient ? a recall now classified by the FDA as a Class II event. The move affects foodservice and some retail channels, including products used at Costco and other large accounts, and consumers may need to check or return affected items.
The California-based manufacturer says it removed a total of 3,556 cases after inspectors found fragments of black plastic planting material inside granulated onion used in several dressings. The company began the recall on Nov. 6; the FDA upgraded the action to a Class II recall on Dec. 4, signaling that any health impact is expected to be temporary or medically reversible in most cases.
What was detected and why it matters
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Laboratory analysis identified small pieces of plastic mixed into the dried onion ingredient. Foreign objects in foods present both a physical safety hazard (choking or dental injury) and a quality-control failure that can affect trust in a product line.
Because these dressings were supplied to commercial kitchens and retail outlets, the recall carries practical implications: restaurants and cafeterias must audit inventory, and consumers who purchased pre-packaged or food-court items should confirm whether their purchase is on the affected list.
Products included in the recall
Ventura Foods provided a product roster identifying specific dressings, container sizes and SKUs. Below are the items the company flagged; if you handle or purchased any of these, check the SKU and container size against what you have on hand.
- Italian Salad Dressing ? 1 gallon (SKU: 7 67367 00518 4)
- Creamy Poblano Avocado Ranch Dressing & Dip ? 1 gallon (SKU: 7 34730 53243 1)
- Ventura Caesar Dressing ? 2,000 lb bulk (SKU: 00 026700 17360 8)
- Pepper Mill Regal Caesar Dressing ? 1 gallon (SKU: 0 93901 72607 0)
- Pepper Mill Creamy Caesar Dressing ? 1 gallon (SKU: 0 93901 78134 5)
- Costco Caesar Dressing (Service Deli) ? 23.62 lb (SKU: 0 26700 19376 7)
- Costco Caesar Dressing (Food Court) ? 32 lb (SKU: 0 26700 19376 7)
- Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch (foodservice one-gallon) ? 1 gallon (SKU: 0 26700 19192 3)
Note: Hidden Valley has stated that retail-sized bottles sold directly to consumers are not part of this voluntary recall. The affected Hidden Valley item was a one-gallon, professional foodservice product manufactured by Ventura Foods and ? according to the brand ? was never distributed to retail stores.
Where the recalled dressings went
Ventura Foods reports distribution to seven customers across 42 locations in multiple U.S. states, plus one customer in Costa Rica. The U.S. locations span more than two dozen states, including:
- New Hampshire, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida
- Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, Maryland
- New Jersey, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Nebraska
- Virginia, Missouri, Louisiana, Pennsylvania
- Indiana, Washington, Colorado, Oklahoma
- Arkansas, Kansas, Texas, Ohio, North Dakota, Oregon
Retail and consumer notices
Costco posted a customer alert on Nov. 7 advising members to stop consuming the affected food-court or deli items and to return them for a full refund. The notice referenced sell-by dates between Oct. 17, 2025 and Nov. 9, 2025 for the items involved and specifically called out Item #19927 (Caesar Salad) and Item #11444 (Chicken Sandwich with Caesar Salad).
Foodservice operators that received the recalled lots were instructed to remove the product from use immediately and follow return or disposal guidance from Ventura Foods and their distributor partners.
What consumers and foodservice operators should do
If you purchased or were served any of the listed dressings, stop using the product and check the container label for the SKU and lot/sell-by dates. Retail consumers should return affected items to the place of purchase for a refund.
Restaurants, cafeterias and other professional kitchens should quarantine any matched cases, contact their Ventura Foods representative or retailer for next steps, and document the product lot numbers to assist with the recall trace.
Although the FDA categorized this as a Class II recall ? indicating the likelihood of serious injury is low ? reporting any adverse reactions to a healthcare provider and to the FDA helps regulators and the company track possible impacts.
For the latest details and specific lot numbers, consult the FDA enforcement report and notifications from the retailers that received the product.
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