RECALL ALERT: The Food and Drug Administration has just issued its highest-level warning for tomatoes, signaling a potentially deadly threat to American families.
Tomatoes from multiple suppliers have been recalled due to possible salmonella contamination that could cause “serious adverse health consequences or death.”
While federal bureaucrats took nearly a month to elevate this serious health threat to its highest warning level, Americans in affected states are left scrambling to determine if their produce is safe.
The FDA upgraded the tomato recall to Class I status on May 28, 2025, almost a month after Williams Farms Repack LLC first announced its recall on May 2.
The affected products were distributed in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina between April 23 and April 28, potentially exposing thousands of families before any warnings were issued.
Williams Farms Repack initiated the pull after being notified that tomatoes supplied by H&C Farms might be contaminated with Salmonella.
The recall includes various packaging formats: 50 three-pack trays, 77 10-pound boxes, and 419 60-count two-layer boxes of tomatoes.
Still, despite the serious nature of the threat, government regulators waited weeks before elevating the warning level.
A tomato recall due to risk of salmonella contamination has been elevated by the FDA to its highest warning level. https://t.co/XjdStk4KcQ
— NBC News (@NBCNews) June 3, 2025
In addition to the Williams Farms situation, Ray & Mascari Inc. also issued a separate tomato pull with the same Class I designation.
Their “Vine Ripe Tomatoes” were distributed through Gordon Food Service Stores across multiple states including Illinois and Indiana.
The products are packaged in clamshell containers with specific lot numbers that consumers need to check.
“Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems,” warned Ray & Mascari Inc. in their recall announcement.
Moreover, both recalls were triggered by possible contamination from the same source – Hanshaw & Capling Farms in Florida.
Williams Farms Repack stated: “On April 29, 2025, the firm was notified via telephone by Southeast Tomato Distributors that tomatoes supplied from H&C Farms may be contaminated with salmonella.”
This raises serious questions about how widespread the contamination might be and why the highest warning was not issued sooner.
Symptoms of Salmonella infection include fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
Although healthy individuals typically recover without treatment, the infection can be deadly for vulnerable populations.
Approximately 14% of food recalls in the United States last year were due to possible salmonella contamination, showing a troubling pattern in food safety oversight.
Meanwhile, consumers who purchased tomatoes in the affected states are strongly advised to immediately check their refrigerators and dispose of any potentially contaminated products.
Americans can identify Ray & Mascari tomatoes by looking for packaging marked “Packed by Ray and Mascari, Inc., Indianapolis, IN 46204.”
No illnesses had been reported at the time of the announcements, but the incubation period for Salmonella can be several days.
As American families struggle with rising food costs, this dangerous situation highlights ongoing concerns about food safety regulations and oversight.
Many wonder why the FDA took nearly a month to elevate this serious health threat to its highest warning level, potentially putting more Americans at risk during the delay.
