Coca-Cola Recall? FDA Flags Contamination Risk—But There’s A Catch

Update: 3/25/2025: This story has been updated to include a statement from Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling.

A new Coca-Cola recall has been quietly issued in Illinois and Wisconsin after plastic contamination was discovered in a limited batch of 12-ounce cans of Coca-Cola Original Taste. While the recall may sound alarming, the actual scale is small—just 864 12-packs are affected, according to the FDA’s enforcement report.

What’s Being Recalled?

The Class II recall, initiated by Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling in Milwaukee, covers Coca-Cola Original Taste 12-ounce cans sold in 12-packs. Affected products are marked with the date code SEP2925MDA and timestamps between 11:00 and 12:00. The UPC codes are:

• Single can: 490-00634 6
• 12-pack: 490-02890 41

This specific recall was initiated on March 6 and later classified by the FDA on March 24, 2025.

A Major Recall? Here’s the Thing

While the product affected is widely recognized, this particular batch was limited to Illinois and Wisconsin and distributed through the Milwaukee-based Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling facility. That means the recall’s geographic scope is limited—for now.

Still, this case fits into a larger pattern of recent food and beverage recalls. Just last week, eight food recalls involving plastic, wood, and metal fragments made headlines, including those from Stouffer’s, Lean Cuisine, and ALDI.

Should You Be Concerned?

The FDA’s Class II designation means the contamination poses a potential, though not immediate, life-threatening risk. It could cause temporary or medically reversible health problems if consumed. For consumers, this means checking batch codes and not taking chances to return affected products to the store or dispose of them safely.

This Coca-Cola recall mirrors similar recall alerts we’ve seen recently, such as the Chomps beef stick recall and the widely reported coffee creamer recall—both of which involved foreign material contamination.

In a statement to Forbes, a Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling spokesperson said:

“Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling is voluntarily recalling 864 cases of 12-pack Coca-Cola Classic in 12-oz cans. The cases are being withdrawn because they did not meet our high-quality standards. We are taking this voluntary action because nothing is more important to us than providing high-quality products to the people who drink our beverages”

Why Recalls Work

Recalls like this one might sound alarming, but they’re a critical part of how the food system works. When issues like plastic contamination are flagged, even in small batches, it reflects that safety checks are catching problems before they become widespread. It’s not just about what went wrong—it’s about how quickly companies respond and what steps are taken to keep products off shelves and out of people’s homes.

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