Recall Hits Richmond-Made Ukrop’s Meals

Ukrop’s Homestyle Foods, a Richmond, Virginia-based prepared foods company, recalled six meal and dessert products after aluminum slivers were found in baking pans used during production, according to company and federal notices. The company announced the voluntary recall on July 30, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service followed with a recall notice on July 31 covering about 22,880 pounds of meat-containing products. The affected items include baked spaghetti, chicken cobbler and bread pudding products made between July 1 and July 30, 2026. No injuries had been confirmed as of the federal and company notices. ### Which Ukrop’s products are included in the recall? Ukrop’s Homestyle Foods listed six recalled items in its July 30 notice: Baked Spaghetti, Baked Spaghetti - Bulk, Chicken Cobbler, Chicken Cobbler - Bulk, Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce, and Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce - KIT. The company said the products were made in Richmond and sold under the Ukrop’s Homestyle Foods brand. (ukropshomestylefoods.com) Best-by dates in the company’s chart run from July 6, 2026, through August 5, 2026, depending on the item. The spaghetti and chicken cobbler products carry best-by dates from July 8 through August 5, while the bread pudding products carry dates from July 6 through August 3, according to the company announcement. ### Why were the meals pulled? (ukropshomestylefoods.com) Ukrop’s said a routine review found “a small sliver of aluminum” in a baking pan used to prepare six products. The company said “a similar metal fragment” was then identified in a Chicken Cobbler product, prompting the broader recall of items made with similar pans. FSIS said the problem came to light after the Richmond establishment received a consumer complaint about a metal piece found in a fully cooked product. (ukropshomestylefoods.com) The agency described the contamination concern as foreign material, “specifically metal slivers,” and classified the action as a Class I recall on its recalls page. ### Where were the recalled meals sold? FSIS said the meat-containing recalled products were shipped to retail locations in Virginia, North Carolina and West Virginia, as well as to Department of Defense outlets and online sales. The federal notice applies to the baked spaghetti and chicken cobbler items that bear establishment numbers “EST. 19979” or “P-19979” in the mark of inspection. (fsis.usda.gov) Ukrop’s product list names retailers including Food Lion, Harris Teeter in Williamsburg, Kroger, Publix, Libbie Market, 25th Street Market, Ukrop’s Market Hall, and Wegmans stores in Short Pump, Fredericksburg and Midlothian. The bread pudding products were also listed for some Kroger locations in Kentucky, according to the company’s chart. (fsis.usda.gov) ### What should shoppers look for in their refrigerators or freezers? FSIS said consumers should look for specific package sizes and labels, including 14.8-ounce “Ukrop’s Baked Spaghetti,” 62.4-ounce “Ukrop’s Baked Spaghetti - Bulk,” 11.6-ounce “Ukrop’s Chicken Cobbler,” and 48-ounce “Ukrop’s Chicken Cobbler - Bulk,” all with best-by dates from July 8 through August 5. The agency said those items may still be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. (ukropshomestylefoods.com) Ukrop’s told consumers not to eat the recalled products and to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. The company said all retail locations had been notified and were removing the products from shelves. ### Who is handling the next steps? Ukrop’s said its baking pan supplier had been notified and had started removing potentially affected pan lots from distribution. (fsis.usda.gov) The company said no products other than the six listed items were affected. FSIS said it is conducting recall effectiveness checks to verify that customers were notified and that the products are no longer available to consumers. (ukropshomestylefoods.com) Consumers with questions can contact Ukrop’s Homestyle Foods at 804-340-3050, according to the company notice, or Susan Rowe, Ukrop’s executive administrator, at 804-340-3104, according to FSIS. (fda.gov)