December 2024: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Announces Huge Recall of MadeGood Granola Bars Over Potential Metal Contamination as of February 2025: The recall has been escalated to a Class II status, meaning that consumption of the products involved in the recall could lead to temporary or reversible health woes if anything at all. Here’s what you need to know about the recall, including what products are affected, safety concerns, and what to do if you have this granola in your home.
What Happened?
Riverside Natural Foods, which produces granola bars, issued a voluntary recall of over 2.4 million cases of its products after determining that some of its bars could contain small slivers of metal. The metal fragments come from a brush used to clean the oven conveyor during manufacturing. While the risk of contamination is low — only seven complaints were made among hundreds of millions of bars sold — the company chose to recall the products as a precaution, it said.
Affected Products
The recall includes the following flavors of MadeGood granola bars:
- Chocolate Chip
- Mixed Berry
- Strawberry
- Cookies & Crème
- Chocolate Banana
- Cake with a Chocolate Drizzle
The items were made from January through November 2024 and feature best-by dates ranging from December 2024 through February 2026. They were sold in the U.S., Canada, and other international markets at major retailers including Target, Whole Foods, Amazon, and CVS.
What is a Class II Recall?
Recalls are classified by the F.D.A. into three classes:
Class I: The most serious, involving products that could cause serious health problems or death.
Class II: Products that can cause temporary or reversible health issues.
Class III: The least severe; products that pose very little risk of health problems.
The MadeGood recall falls under Class II, meaning the risk of a health hazard is remote, but the metal pieces in the snack could still be a danger if eaten.
What Should Consumers Do?
Do not eat any of the recalled granola bars, instead throwing them away. You can also take the products back to the store where you purchased them for a full refund. MadeGood has said the risk of contamination with metal parts is extremely low, and no injuries or illnesses have been reported so far.
For more information, visit MadeGood’s site, or contact the company’s customer service. The company also issued a complete list of affected products, including their UPCs and best-by dates, to help consumers identify recalled products.
How Did This Happen?
The source of metal contamination was a brush used during cleaning. The problem was discovered by Riverside Natural Foods in an internal audit and corrective actions were taken. The company has ceased using the offending brush and has strengthened its metal detection practices in an attempt to prevent a recurrence.
Broader Implications
This is just the latest example of food safety challenges that have developed over the past few years. Meanwhile, nearly half of Americans also say they lack trust in grocery stores or food brands when it comes to keeping food safe, a survey conducted in December 2024 found one in which more than 80% of Americans reported being concerned about food recalls.
The MadeGood recall, of course, also highlights the need for rigorous quality control in food manufacturing. The company acted quickly to rectify the situation, which is good and reminds consumers to stay current on recalls and respond properly when they do.
Conclusion
The FDA’s recall of MadeGood granola bars serves as a reminder to check your pantry for recalled items. While the chance of metal parts getting into your food is low, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Whatever it might be, these steps will ensure you avoid health hazards for you and your family.
For the latest food recalls, check out the FDA’s official site, or sign up for recall alerts from trusted sources.
