These granola bars, marketed under the MadeGood label, are recalling potentially contaminated batches with metal fragments. The announcement of the recall was made by Riverside Natural Foods, the Chicago-based manufacturer of the snack, in a notification released by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The items should be viewed by various national retailers, such as Amazon and Walmart, and this raises consumer concerns.
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Which MadeGood granola bars are affected?
The recall includes a wide range of MadeGood granola bars, such as:
- Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
- Mixed Berry Granola Bars
- Strawberry Granola Bars
- Cookies & Creme Granola Bars
- Chocolate Banana Granola Bars
- Chocolate Drizzled Birthday Cake Granola Bars
- Chocolate Drizzled Cookie Crumble Granola Bars
- Chocolate-Drizzled Vanilla Granola Bars
Between January and November 2023, these products were manufactured and distributed across the United States, Canada, and beyond. For a complete list of all such recalled products, with their UPCs and best-by dates, use the notice from the company or visit the FDA website. Riverside Natural Foods carried out a thorough internal investigation, from which the organization pinpointed the source of the contamination within its own manufacturing process. The company also mentioned that the issue has been resolved and controls are put in place to eliminate the possibility of similar incidents in the future.
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Potential risks of metal contamination
After discovering that a section of granola bars might have metallic pieces in them, Riverside took the initiative for the recall; the consumption of such metallic pieces poses serious safety hazards—extreme choking, injury to mouth or throat, or even damage to the digestive system. Consumers should have a check on their pantries and desist from consumption of the recalled products. “Safety comes first for our customers,” stated Riverside in its announcement. The company is closely liaising with the FDA on the execution of the recall process and the publicity of the information to consumers.
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What to do if you’ve purchased these granola bars
Return all recalled MadeGood granola bars that you have purchased to Riverside Natural Foods for a full refund. Riverside Natural Foods has set up a customer service hotline at 855-215-5695 for additional questions and information available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time. Customers can call this hotline if they have questions or concerns regarding the recall.
This call for vigilance has also brought food safety into the eyes of consumers. Although the safety issue is now resolved, this is a reminder to read product labels and check regulatory agency announcements, including those from the FDA, to keep alert for possible dangers.
