CUSTOMERS have been urged to avoid eating contaminated soup over fears it could lead to a dental injury.

The issue affects a handful of different brands of soup and officials say the products could still be sitting in refrigerators or freezers.

The US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety warned in an alert that various soup and bowl products may be contaminated with a foreign material – specifically wood.

The agency issued the alert about seven brands of soup after cilantro, an FDA-regulated ingredient, was recalled for having the foreign material in it.

The soups were shipped to retail and institutional locations in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio.

Brands caught in the alert include Campbell’s, Health Request, Molly’s Kitchen, Sysco, Verve, and Crafted Market.

Officials say these products could still be sitting in refrigerators or freezers, posing a risk to anyone who eats them.

The foreign material could lead to dental injuries or even choking if swallowed.

The issue was flagged after an FSIS-regulated plant got word that the cilantro ingredient had been recalled for foreign matter.

A statement from the Campbell’s Company to The U.S. Sun clarified its affected products were not the canned soups typically found on store shelves.

“The soups are not sold in cans, they are distributed either frozen or fresh (refrigerated) via foodservice channels,” a spokesperson said, adding they were shipped to restaurants.

The USDA hasn’t ruled out the possibility that more products will be added, warning of potential nationwide impacts.

Institutions are being told not to serve the products under any circumstances.

Instead, the items should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

The FSIS alert, issued on April 11, outlines concerns over the wood contamination that could cause harm if ingested.

So far, there have been no confirmed reports of injury, but officials are urging caution.

AFFECTED ITEMS

Three different types of Campbell’s soup were named in the health alert – Campbell’s Chicken Tortilla Soup, Campbell’s Soup Baja Chicken Enchilada Soup, and Campbell’s Wicked Thai Soup.

Health Request Mexican Chicken Tortilla and Life Cuisine Vital Pursuit Southwest Style Taco Bowl were also both affected.

Molly’s Kitchen Baja Chicken Enchilada Soup, Molly’s Kitchen Chicken Chili, Molly’s Kitchen Chicken Enchilada Soup, and Molly’s Kitchen Mexican Chicken Tortilla were also named in the documents.

Sysco Chicken tortilla Soup, Verve Spicy Chicken Nacho Soup, Verve Wicked Thai Soup and Crafted Market Coconut Chicken Thai Style Soup were also affected.

Health advisories like this one often happen when a manufacturer or agency finds a risk to public health.

That could include foreign materials, bacteria like Salmonella or Listeria, or undeclared allergens.

If you have any of the products subject to this health alert, you should not consume them.

Meanwhile, celery sticks sold under the Marketside brand are being recalled due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, the FDA has warned.

The “washed and ready-to-eat” produce is the latest item flagged for food safety concerns.