Brace yourself before opening that can of beef stew—you might be chewing on wood.
Hormel Foods is urgently recalling over 256,000 pounds of its Dinty Moore Beef Stew after alarming consumer complaints revealed pieces of wood lurking inside the product.
According to a USDA announcement issued on May 28, the contaminated cans are 20-ounce metal cans with the lot code “T02045”, a best-by date of February 2028, and an establishment number of “EST 199G.” These were produced on February 4, 2025, and have now been classified under a Class I recall, the most serious level, indicating there’s a high risk of serious health consequences if consumed.
The warning follows reports from three customers who found wood fragments in their beef stew. While no injuries have been reported yet, the potential dangers are serious enough that the USDA and Hormel are urging consumers to take action.
In a statement, Hormel claimed the recall was issued “out of an abundance of caution” and emphasized that only this single batch is affected. Other Dinty Moore products are not part of the recall.
Still, if you have any cans matching this description in your pantry, do not eat them. Toss them out or return them to the place of purchase immediately.
Food recalls happen, but this one is particularly jarring. What should be a comforting meal could turn into a dental disaster or worse.
Consumers can find more details at hormel.com, where live chat support is also available. Always check your labels—your next bite could be more splinter than stew.
