9 Major Quaker Oats Recalls That Will Always Haunt The Company

Quaker Oats is a long-trusted name in kitchens worldwide, known for supplying hearty breakfast foods and oat-based snacks. Founded in 1850, Quaker Oats was the first company to trademark a breakfast cereal, cementing it as a pioneer in the food industry. Since then, Quaker Oats has remained dominant and has remained a popular choice for customers worldwide. 

From cereals to oatmeals to granola bars, billions of customers consume Quaker Oats products every year. Unfortunately, behind the wholesome Quaker image are some dark chapters in this company's history. Over the years, Quaker Oats has also become infamous for another reason: product recalls.

From contamination risks to mislabeled allergens, these nine major Quaker Oats recalls have made headlines and damaged the reputation of this iconic company. Spanning the past three centuries, these nine major recalls were so drastic that they forever changed the brand's reputation and made an everlasting impact on the customers they affected.

In February 2021, Quaker Oats found itself in a truly unsettling position after it was revealed that one of their snack products could potentially pose a serious health risk to vulnerable customers. The product in question was the Quaker Rice Crisps Sweet Barbecue Flavor, which are made of rice and enhanced with a smoky and tangy flavor. These chips are a popular choice for customers, earning a 4.3-star average rating from reviews on the Quaker Oats website.

Unfortunately, this product hid a dangerous secret when it was put onto shelves in 2021. Quaker Oats issued a voluntary recall of 3.03-ounce bags of Quaker Sweet Barbecue Rice Crisps after the discovery that a select number of bags contained undeclared soy ingredients. In total, 4,550 bags were recalled across 21 states.

Labeling food allergens is extremely important because a customer could become very ill or possibly die from an allergic reaction if it is not properly advertised. Thankfully, this recall was able to prevent any reported illnesses or reactions. This recall was a close call that was not easily forgotten by customers with food allergies.

Between December 2023 and January 2024, Quaker Oats found itself entrenched in a major health scare that caught the attention of the entire nation. The company made a sweeping recall of 24 products after the discovery that salmonella may have contaminated several product lines.

Salmonella is an organism often found in uncooked food that is known for causing severe sickness that can be potentially fatal for children, the elderly, and immunocompromised groups. With these health risks in mind, Quaker Oats advised customers and stores to immediately remove these affected items from their shelves, leading to some major distrust from customers who bought these products in all 50 states.

As this recall expanded into 2024, the company was faced with the daunting task of removing all the contaminated products from the marketplace as well as attempting to restore customer confidence in the wake of this major food safety concern. Products including granola bars, cereal bars, cereals, Cap'n Crunch Instant Oatmeals, Gatorade Protein bars, and snack mixes were affected by this outbreak, making this one of Quakers' most drastic recalls in history.

In 2003, Quaker Oats recalled massive amounts of products after discovering a serious labeling issue. A reported 23,000 cases of Quaker Oatmeal Brown Sugar Bliss cereal packages were recalled after it was discovered that some of them may contain almonds, which was not noted on the boxes. Quaker Oats is famous for their oatmeal products, making this recall one that caught the attention of many dedicated customers.

Almonds and nut allergies affect more than 6 million Americans, making this incorrect labeling a huge danger to many customers. For those with nut allergies, this oversight posed a severe risk and allergic reaction that could have led to life-threatening emergencies. To prevent this, Quaker Oats did its best to remove the affected products from the hands of customers quickly.

This instance was one of many times when incorrect labeling led to recalls by Quaker Oats. It continues to be a pressing issue in the food industry, especially for those who deal with food allergies.

Back in 2016, Quaker Oats made another troubling discovery that led to a recall of some of their popular Quaker Quinoa Granola Bars. Two flavors, Yogurt Fruit & Nut and Chocolate Nut Medley, contained sunflower kernels that were contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeria is a bacterium that can be deadly for children, the elderly, and those with a vulnerable immune system. According to Quaker Oats, the contamination happened from their sunflower kernel supplier. Out of caution, Quaker Oats made the decision to recall these products.

Thankfully, no one reported illness from this outbreak. However, this incident raised concerns about the safety of the ingredients sourced for Quaker Oats products. For a trusted company like Quaker Oats to discover Listeria in such a popular snack product is certainly not something that customers can forget easily, and this incident did stain the reputation of the brand.

Quaker Oats faced another major recall in 2008 when they discovered that several of their pancake and waffle mixes were potentially contaminated with salmonella. The affected products were varieties of their Aunt Jemima Pancake & Waffle Mix — specifically the Original, Original Complete, and Buttermilk Complete products.

The contamination was reportedly caused by raw or undercooked ingredients in select batches of the Aunt Jemima pancake and waffle mixes, which are meant to make cooking a delicious breakfast at home easy and efficient. Salmonella can lead to serious gastrointestinal issues and is especially dangerous for vulnerable groups. Although Quaker Oats was able to quickly recall the products, the incident highlighted a potential lapse in food safety during the production process.

While the company assured the public that only a small quantity of the pancake mix boxes were affected, the recall still sparked concerns. For Quaker Oats, this recall was yet another challenge in maintaining its reputation as a trustworthy company.

In 2011, Quaker Oats found itself at the center of another recall after a significant labeling error was made. The product in question was the 8-count Quaker Chewy Smashbar Graham Pretzel snack bars, a popular choice for an on-the-go snack. These bars were recalled after the discovery that the bars failed to list milk as an ingredient on its packaging, which posed a serious risk to individuals with milk allergies.

Milk is one of the most common allergens. It can cause serious upset for those who are allergic or sensitive to it. In response to this labeling error, Quaker Oats voluntarily recalled all affected products and urged customers to discard any products they purchased.

This recall was a reminder to the public of how a seemingly small mistake can have far-reaching consequences for consumer safety and the reputation of a brand. While this recall was necessary in order to protect consumers, it also created a larger issue for Quaker Oats as the company attempted to improve its public image.

A unique kind of recall occurred in 1993 when Quaker Oats was forced to pull a product not for any contamination of the food but because of a promotional toy it had included inside each box. For a limited time, Cap'n Crunch Crunchberries and Peanut Butter Crunch cereal included a free gift inside, a "popper" toy that incentivized people to buy the cereal.

Unfortunately, the toy ended up becoming a safety hazard for children when the suction part of the toy caused damage to some during play. Reports surfaced that the popper had caused injuries to 36 children, prompting Quaker Oats to swiftly recall all of the boxes that included it.

This recall was a blow for the company because it not only involved a potential harm to children but also raised questions regarding the company's safety practices and toy testing protocols. While the company was quick to address the issue, the incident left a lasting impact on its public image.

In the same year, 1993, Quaker Oats was faced with yet another major recall. The company was forced to recall 1,600 cases of chocolate-chip-flavored Quaker Chewy Granola Bars after a startling discovery was made. According to reports, small metal particles were potentially inside granola bars distributed to the states of California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.

Thankfully, no injuries were reported at the time of the recall, but this serious threat did make the company take swift action to prevent any further harm. Those who purchased the bars were encouraged to discard them or return them for a refund.

While this recall did not harm anyone (as far as reports concluded), the situation certainly left many customers with a bad feeling. How these metal particles got inside these bars remains a mystery, further fueling the confusion around this recall.

Unfortunately, the recalls at Quaker Oats have also become an issue in the current year, 2025. This February, the company discovered that 10,000 boxes of their Pearl Milling Company Original Pancake & Waffle Mix were sold with a critical labeling error in 11 states. The products were recalled after the discovery that the products failed to list a milk warning on the package.

Milk must be labeled in order to properly protect customers who are allergic or sensitive to dairy products, which are among the more common food allergens. After realizing this error, Quaker Oats urged customers to dispose of the affected boxes, ensuring no one was hurt by this pancake and waffle mix.

This incident has marked another blow to the Quaker Oats reputation and proved that these food safety issues are still prevalent, even in 2025. While the company has worked to address this recall and all others in its long history as a company, it is still hard to gain back the trust of many customers who remain haunted by these large-scale errors and outbreaks.