Kraft Heinz faces recall involving a common household staple.
Shoppers looking for an easy dinner may want to take a closer look at products sitting in refrigerators and pantries. More than half a million packages of macaroni and cheese sold at Aldi stores across the U.S. have been recalled after concerns arose about an unlabeled ingredient kept off the packaging. Federal officials recently announced that an ongoing recall involving Park St. Deli Macaroni & Cheese has been given a Class II risk rating. The product is made by Ohio-based BEF Foods Inc. and sold only at Aldi stores. According to regulators, some containers may contain soy lecithin, which comes from soybeans but was not added on the packaging.
For most people, soy lecithin is not dangerous. For shoppers with soy allergies, though, an unlabeled ingredient can create health concerns. The government says a Class II recall means exposure to the product could cause temporary or medically reversible health effects, though serious outcomes are considered unlikely. The refrigerated dish comes in a 20-ounce container and is packaged with nine units per case. Officials said the product was first recalled in March, but the latest update drew renewed attention after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classified the event under its recall system.
More than 58,000 cases are affected, totaling 525,645 individual packages. Consumers are being urged to check refrigerators and review product codes listed by federal regulators to see whether purchased items are part of the recall. The macaroni and cheese recall is not the only recent concern involving pasta-related foods. Earlier this month, an Alfredo sauce made by The Coffee Connexion Co. Inc. received the FDA’s highest risk designation after concerns over possible Salmonella contamination. That recall affected products distributed in dozens of states and stemmed from a supplier issue involving dry milk powder.
While food recalls often draw attention because of safety concerns, another pasta product has been making news for a different reason. Customers have been complaining online about Classico pasta sauces, saying the products have changed in taste, texture, and size.
Classico, owned by Kraft Heinz, has long been a common sight on grocery shelves. The sauces are sold at major retailers across the country, and many shoppers remember them as a dependable option for quick meals. Recently, however, social media sites and online discussion boards have filled with comments from consumers who believe the recipes are no longer the same.
Some shoppers claim the sauces have become thinner and less flavorful. Others say jars now contain fewer tomato pieces and more liquid than before. Several online posts compare older jars with newer ones and point to changes in ingredients, color, and consistency.
Complaints have surfaced about several flavors, including pizza sauce, vodka sauce, and tomato sauce with herbs and spices. One customer described the sauce as resembling tomato soup after being mixed with pasta. Another wrote that recent purchases tasted noticeably different from earlier versions and questioned whether the recipe had been changed.
Consumers have also raised concerns about packaging. Photos shared online compare older jars with newer ones that appear smaller. Some shoppers say the amount of sauce has decreased while prices have remained similar, leading to accusations of shrinkflation, a term used when products become smaller without a matching drop in price.
Kraft Heinz has not publicly confirmed any recipe changes related to complaints about the unlabeled ingredient. Still, the discussion continues to spread as more shoppers share opinions and compare experiences.
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