🧊 Frozen Food Recalls in Canada: What’s Happening and What Canadians Should Do

From contaminated nuggets to dessert recalls, 2025 has been a busy year for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). Here’s what consumers need to know — and how to stay safe.

⚠️ 1. The Current Wave of Frozen Food Recalls

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has issued several frozen food recalls in 2025 after discovering contamination risks that could affect households across the country. These recalls remind Canadians that even frozen items — long assumed to be safe due to low temperatures — can still carry physical or microbial dangers.

🔹 Swiss Chalet Chicken Breast Nuggets

• Product: Swiss Chalet Chicken Breast Nuggets (700 g)
• UPC: 066701011479
• Reason: Presence of bone fragments
• Best Before Dates: September 7, 2025 and September 26, 2025

The nuggets were pulled after multiple reports of bone pieces found in packages. Consumers are advised not to eat the product and to either return it or discard it immediately.

🔹 Frozen Dessert Tartlets — Salmonella Risk

In early 2025, certain frozen tartlets sold across Canada were recalled due to possible Salmonella contamination. While no fatalities were reported, several consumers fell ill after consuming the affected desserts.

This outbreak prompted the CFIA to re-emphasize proper storage and handling for frozen bakery items, as Salmonella can survive in cold environments and reactivate upon thawing.

🔹 Broader Food Recall Trends

Recent months have also seen related recalls involving salted pistachios, frozen bakery items, and snack mixes sold at major grocery chains including Loblaws, Zehrs, and Co-op. Many were tied to cross-contamination during manufacturing or supply chain transit.

🧬 2. Why Frozen Foods Get Recalled

Freezing may slow bacterial growth, but it doesn’t destroy all hazards. Food recalls can stem from multiple causes:

1. Physical Contamination: Pieces of metal, wood, or bone entering the food during processing.
2. Biological Contamination: Bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes or Salmonella surviving production and freezing.
3. Cross-Contamination: Contaminated ingredients (like nuts or flour) spreading to other foods in mixed processing facilities.
4. Labeling Errors: Missing allergen information or incorrect expiry dates leading to potential consumer harm.

🧭 3. What Canadians Should Do Right Now

✅ Check Your Freezer

Inspect all frozen products, especially those mentioned by the CFIA. Pay attention to brand names, lot codes, and best-before dates.

🚫 Don’t Take Risks

If a recalled product is in your freezer, do not taste it “just to see if it’s okay.”
Throw it out or return it to the place of purchase for a refund.

🧽 Clean Surfaces

Wash any trays, shelves, or utensils that came into contact with the product. This prevents cross-contamination with other foods.

🩺 Watch for Symptoms

Depending on the type of contamination:

• Bone or plastic pieces → watch for cuts, choking, or dental injuries.
• Salmonella → monitor for diarrhea, vomiting, fever, or dehydration.
  Seek medical attention if symptoms appear.

🔍 Follow Official Alerts

Stay informed through the CFIA’s official recall portal:
👉 recalls-rappels.canada.ca
You can subscribe to email or SMS alerts to receive notifications as soon as new recalls are posted.

🍁 4. The Bigger Picture: What This Means for Canadian Food Safety

Canada’s food safety system remains one of the world’s most rigorous — but rising global supply chain complexity makes recalls more frequent. Imported ingredients, shared processing facilities, and increasing automation all raise the risk of small errors scaling into large recall events.

The CFIA’s rapid detection and public alert system are essential safeguards, but consumer awareness is equally important. Canadians are encouraged to regularly check the recall database and follow CFIA on social media for updates.

🧾 Summary

• Multiple frozen food recalls — including Swiss Chalet chicken nuggets and frozen desserts — have been issued in 2025.
• Risks include bone fragments and Salmonella contamination.
• Canadians should check their freezers, discard affected items, clean surfaces, and stay alert for CFIA updates.
• Freezing is not a guarantee of safety — proper handling, cooking, and vigilance are still key.