Food Alert: Massive Recall of Beef Stew Due to Wood Fragment Contamination

In May 2025, Hormel Foods Corporation voluntarily recalled approximately 256,185 pounds (over 17,000 cases) of its canned "Dinty Moore" beef stew after receiving three consumer complaints about the presence of wood fragments in the product.

The affected product is packaged in 20-ounce metal cans marked with an expiration date of "FEB 2028" and the lot code "T02045," along with the establishment number "EST 199G" printed on the can. These cans were produced on February 4, 2025, and distributed nationwide across the United States.

Although no injuries have been reported to date, the presence of foreign materials in processed foods poses a significant public health risk. Ingesting wood fragments can cause injuries to the mouth, throat, or digestive tract, especially in young children and older adults. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies this type of contamination as a Class I risk, indicating a reasonable probability of serious adverse health consequences.

This incident adds to a series of recent recalls related to foreign material contamination in food products. For example, in April 2025, the FDA issued a health alert for 13 frozen soup products from brands like Campbell’s and Life Cuisine due to possible wood fragments found in cilantro used as an ingredient.

Detection of such contaminants often relies on consumer complaints, raising concerns about the effectiveness of quality control measures on production lines.

Hormel Foods has urged consumers in possession of the affected product not to consume it and to discard it or return it to the place of purchase for a refund. For further inquiries, consumers can contact Hormel Foods at 1-800-523-4635.

This recall underscores the importance of maintaining rigorous food safety standards and the need for ongoing oversight to protect public health.