Tortilla Strip Salad Toppings Have Been Recalled Nationwide For A Serious Allergy Risk

Sugar Foods, a food manufacturing and distribution company, released a statement announcing that it is recalling the Fresh Gourmet Tortilla Strips Santa Fe Style. The products can be identified by the Universal Product Code 7 87359 17504 6 as well as all having June 20, 2025 as the best-by date — note that these differ from sell-by and use-by dates. The tortilla strips were recalled due to an FDA Class 1 violation because of a contamination of an undeclared allergen present within the product. In this case, the allergen was wheat, which was not included in the ingredient label on the packages.

Not only does the lack of ingredient listing pose a contamination problem in general, it leaves room for those with wheat allergies or gluten intolerances to potentially consume harmful foods. Not to mention, this product is marketed as being gluten free. The allergen was discovered when a customer reported the Santa Fe Style strips to contain crispy onions, which can be found in other Fresh Gourmet products and do indeed contain wheat. Whether the product was intended to include crispy onions was unclear, but finding them in the pack and not on the ingredients list is what ultimately led to the recall. The tortilla strips have been recalled in 22 states, all of which are listed in the FDA and company announcement.

Moving forward through a recall can be challenging, especially if you are unsure what to do. Both Sugar Foods and the FDA advise those who have purchased the Santa Fe Style Tortilla Strips to either return the product to the store for a full refund, or dispose of them entirely. Note that you can identify whether your product is affected by matching the UPC and best-by date to the back of the product bag. You can also learn more about what happens when grocery stores recall food, but it's best to safely get rid of recalled items first instead of taking a risk and keeping them — even if, in this case, you do not have a wheat allergy.

Amidst many other large recalls in the last month, including the recall on carrots containing E Coli, grocers and manufacturers alike must continue to prioritize public health. Thankfully, reports show that nobody has fallen ill due to this recall; but for a company that calls itself "Masters of Minutia" on its website, letting this slip through the cracks has huge repercussions.

Mistrust in the brand and massive food waste are just a few things shoppers will be wary of. This recall reminds consumers, particularly those with food allergies, to remain vigilant while shopping and to regularly check FDA and grocery store websites for announcements on recalled food. If you or anyone you know has purchased the Fresh Gourmet Tortilla Strips Santa Fe Style, they should return or dispose of them immediately.