First, it was mac and cheese bites. Then, coffee creamers. And, now sparkling water? We’re never getting a break from all these food recalls.
On Wednesday, March 13, Trader Joe’s issued a recall on approximately 61,000 Gerolsteiner Sparkling Natural Mineral Waters for a “laceration hazard.” The bottles, which are made of glass, can easily shatter or crack and result in deadly injuries.
“The issue was identified by research related to bottle breakage during production and potentially affects 1% of bottles,” per the company’s news release.
Before you raid your fridge and pantry for those sparkling waters, the recall only applies to the 750 ml bottles, sold from December 2024 and January 2025, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) report. And only two lot numbers were affected: 11/28/2024 L or 11/27/2024 L. The recalled bottles were sold in 13 states and have best-by-dates of December 18 or 19, 2027.
While there haven’t been any reported injuries so far, customers are still encouraged to shelve these items and return them. You can receive a full refund from the grocer, even without proof of purchase. You’ll just need to bring the recalled bottle.
This Trader Joe’s recall might seem small (and to a degree, it is) but it’s just another reminder of all the bad food news circulating. I mean, we’re not even halfway into 2025, and there’s been recalls on everything. Not to mention, all the unsettling reports on food toxins, including that study that found toxic metals in protein powders. Then, there’s the new lawsuit against Girl Scouts' cookies, which were found to contain harmful ingredients.
And, now water isn’t even safe—bottled and tap. Honestly, let’s hope this is the last of recalls for 2025 and that we can finally get a break.