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SpaghettiOs Recall: Campbell’s Soup Finds Choking Hazard In More Than 300,000 Cans

By Zachary Volkert
Published on: 11:11 PST, Nov 12, 2015

Campbell’s Soup has put out a SpaghettiOs recall that may have affected as many as 355,000 cans of the tomato soup-pasta hybrid.

The company apologized to customers for any potential issue that the SpaghettiOs recall may have caused, and Campbell’s has also promised that it will replace any can of the product that fits the offending description. People who have purchased SpaghettiOs recently simply have to take it back to the store where it was originally purchased to exchange it or get a full refund, according to a press release published on Business Wire.

Campbell's SpaghettiOs recall says don't eat me
A SpaghettiOs recall might have you poking around your Campbell’s Soup for dangerous plastic instead of smiley faces. [Source: mojodaisy/Flickr]

Campbell’s first became aware of a problem when small pieces of red plastic were found inside cans of SpaghettiOs. Consumers brought the issue to the company’s attention, and a recall was subsequently decided upon as the risky contaminant appears to have actually come from the walls of the can itself. It is therefore difficult to know which units could be harmful.

If SpaghettiOs have recently made it on to your home shopping list, you can easily tell if the recall cautions you to toss your quick meal or not. Only 14.2 ounce cans of regular SpaghettiOs fall under the category. If you have one of those on your shelves, you can further narrow it down by seeing if you have a match on the UPC and Best By Date. Recalled containers include those marked for consumption by February 22, 2017, and numbered 51000 22432. Those eating SpaghettiOs outside the United States need not worry about the recall.

Americans got their first taste of SpaghettiOs in 1965 due to the inventiveness of Campbell’s employee Donald Goerke. The iconic ‘O’s, which now move around 150 million units worldwide every year, were the product of Goerke attempting to satiate both the business’ and families’ needs, reported New York Times in his 2010 obituary.

“The shape was crucial on two counts. The first was durability: it had to withstand canning and reheating. The second was damage control: long pasta and young children mix dangerously, with child, chair and walls ending up beribboned with dripping strands. A simple ‘O,’ Mr. Goerke realized, would solve both problems. Its stable shape allowed a thinner strand of pasta to be used, making the reheated product less gummy. It also fit tidily in the bowl of a spoon.”

SpaghettiOs have also long been known for their ad campaigns. Megastar Jimmie Rodgers first sang the “Uh-Oh, SpaghettiOs” jingle that has followed the food all the way to the modern era. Since then, other celebrities and beloved fictional characters have crossed paths with the brand.

SpaghettiOs recall for Campbell's Soup mistake
A SpaghettiOs recall is unlikely to do any lasting damage to the Campbell’s brand. Even in the art world, the symbol is universal. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Aside from recalls, SpaghettiOs also landed itself some bad PR in 2014 on the anniversary of Pearl Harbor. The company tweeted a photo of one of its signature “O” figures photoshopped into the attack. Public outrage pushed Campbell’s to issue an apology, but not before the internet had its way with mocking their misstep.

If you have further questions about the SpaghettiOs recall, you can contact Campbell’s Soup during normal business hours at 1-866-535-3774. The ready-to-eat mainstay also has a Facebook and Twitter page where you can get ahold of them.

[Image via Campbell’s Soup]

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