I don’t know about everybody else, but I’m starting to feel like everything has a recall notice attached to it.
You buy some food? Check for a recall.
Buy something for the house? Better check that too.
Drive your car? There’s probably an email waiting for you.
At this rate, I’m waiting for somebody to announce:
“Attention: Air has been recalled. Please stop breathing until further notice.”
I’m joking, of course.
Well…mostly.
It just seems like every time I open social media or watch the news, another product is being pulled off shelves. Food, vehicles, baby products, medicine, household items, you name it.
We already have high prices, high gas, wars going on around the world, and bills that refuse to leave us alone.
Now I have to inspect my lunch too?
Even Taco Bell Got Pulled Into It
One of the biggest food stories recently involved iceberg lettuce linked to a large Cyclospora outbreak.
Taco Bell became a big part of the conversation after many sick people reported eating there. The company stopped using lettuce from the supplier involved while health officials investigated.
Think about that.
You order tacos, and somehow the lettuce becomes the part you’re worried about.
I didn’t see that coming.
Then came the jalapeños.
Salmonella concerns involving jalapeños led to recalls involving salsa, guacamole, pico de gallo and other prepared foods.
At some point, Taco Tuesday started requiring research.
“Where did you get these peppers?”
“Who made this salsa?”
“Can I see the paperwork on this guacamole?”
And Apparently Fruit Bars Needed Drama Too
Outshine Fruit Bars also made headlines because certain products were recalled over possible pieces of glass.
……Glass….
……………………………..In a fruit bar.
I just wanted something cold out of the freezer. I didn’t know I needed protective equipment.
Then millions of Cuisinart grill brushes were recalled because metal bristles could break off and possibly end up in food.
So now we’re checking the food and the thing we use to clean the grill.
Fantastic.
Then It Followed Me to Work
This is where things really got my attention.
I work as a firefighter and EMT, so normal saline is about as basic as it gets in emergency medicine.
And guess what?
Saline has recalls too.
Baxter recently recalled two lots of 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection after possible fiberglass particles were found in the solution.
That’s when I thought…
The world is coming to an end folks!!
Saline?
Really?
Do We Have Recall Fatigue?
Maybe that’s what we’re dealing with now: recall fatigue.
Some recalls are very serious, so we shouldn’t ignore them. The whole reason these warnings exist is to catch problems and protect people.
But social media also puts every recall directly in our faces.
Years ago, you might hear about a major recall on the evening news.
Today, you see it on TikTok, Facebook, X, Reddit, news apps, group chats, and probably from somebody’s aunt before breakfast.
So maybe there aren’t suddenly dangerous products everywhere.
Maybe we’re simply hearing about every problem faster than ever.
Either way, 2026 could calm down a little.
I’m going to check my refrigerator.
Then my car.
Then the medicine cabinet.
And apparently, when I get back to work…
I’m checking the saline too….
