Farina cereal (1971)

Pillsbury's first brush with the Food and Drug Administration was almost a century after the company's inception and over 50 years after the first ever reported recall. After shards of glass made their way into Farina cereal at the Pillsbury's Minneapolis plant, the company requested a one-code removal of its 27.5 ounce packages in four Western Massachusetts counties and seven in Connecticut.

Just a few years prior, the brand was flying high. In collaboration with NASA, Pillsbury launched two groundbreaking projects with space explorers in mind: Space Food Sticks, the first solid food to be eaten in space, and the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) — a set of standards providing food regulation guidance for astronauts and earthlings alike. In an effort to reduce widespread illness and harm, the system ultimately sought to prevent food contamination during production, and still does. It may seem ironic that Pillsbury had to pull one of its most iconic products so soon after releasing an industry-changing safety campaign, but accidents happen — even when following protocol. By taking immediate action, the brand sent a message aligned with the HACCP's purpose. To Pillsbury, food safety would always come first, whether that meant creating an impact with new standards or taking ownership of its mistakes (it would have to do the latter quite a bit). Though this was the first recall, it certainly wouldn't be their last.

Cut-leaf spinach (1995)

What does spinach have to do with biscuits? Besides being two common side dishes on a dinner plate, both products were at one time under the same conglomerate: Pillsbury. This may come as a shock as the industry giant is known for its baked goods, but before the brand was acquired by General Mills in 2001, Pillsbury had quite the impressive portfolio, owning industry leaders like Haagen-Daz, Burger King , and Green Giant.

Cookie dough (1998)

Peanuts and tree nuts have gotten a major PR makeover over the past decade — and rightfully so. Full of brain boosting omega-3s and crunch, there is no questioning their benefits both in taste and health. But let us not forget the danger they present to those with allergies. Don't get us wrong, there have been major advancements in allergy protection . But for some, even airborne exposure requires immediate medical attention.

On September 8 1998, Pillsbury voluntarily recalled over 8,000 cases of 18-ounce packages of refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough for failing to include walnuts on the ingredient list. The recalled lot spanned several states including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Wisconsin, and targeted packages with "For Best Results Use Before Nov. 18 J" and "For Best Results Use Before Nov 18 K." The mislabeled products were replaced with proper packaging soon after.

Marketing accidents happen; art might go out blurred or perhaps the occasional word is left out of a company slogan. No doubt, these mistakes are never a good look, but the fallout usually comes in the form of dollars and cents. When the product is food, however, there is little (if any) room for error. In this case, the consequences could have been grave, resulting in serious harm, or worse, death. Thankfully, there were no reported reactions to the cookie dough.

Unbleached all-purpose flour (2019)

These days, Pillsbury is best known for a delicious end result — biscuits, crescents, cookies, and cinnamon rolls. But before those at-home favorites hit grocery store shelves, Pillsbury was a flour mill. Even now, Pillsbury uses its own stock in all ready-to-make products. So when Unbleached All-Purpose Flour was recalled for possible salmonella contamination over a century after its inception, the brand's standing grew shaky to say the least.

When salmonella makes the news, it's typically due to contamination in raw meat, eggs, fruits, and vegetables. According to the World Health Organization, the bacteria most often comes from animal products. Because flour doesn't fall into any of those categories, the contamination feels particularly eerie. Due to its versatility, it's a cooking cornerstone. It's hard to imagine everyday kitchen actions like breading and baking suddenly becoming risky.

The recall specifically affected 5-pound bags with April 19 2020 and April 20 2020 "best by" dates. This was largely done as a cautionary measure, as the stuff is hard to trace. And while there were no reports of flour-related illness yet, this was only the beginning of a year of filled with public health woes.

Pie crust (2021)

The most recent Pillsbury recall to date was not triggered by the brand or the FDA. In May 2021, the Defense Commissary Agency, responsible for providing groceries to military personnel, requested an immediate withdrawal of refrigerated pie crusts.

The agency did not cite any safety issues with the product but, instead, raised concern about the crust's perceived quality diminishment. Apparently, its flavor didn't fall in line with military standards. While something so subjective doesn't meet the general recall standard, Pillsbury obliged and voluntarily removed two code dates from shelves.

It is unclear whether Pillsbury's deference is partially due to its history serving government agencies like NASA, or a desire to show commitment to quality control despite a litany of past recalls. But the brand has since steered clear of them, allowing customers (government-funded or not) to take biscuits, pies, and crescents from the grocery store aisle to the dinner table.