Target trail mix recalled over possible salmonella contamination risk

Shoppers should not eat Good & Gather Mexican Street Corn Trail Mix sold at Target stores nationwide if they have an 8-ounce package from lot 6082GY5D with a best-by date of March 23, 2027. Consumers were told to return recalled products for a refund or replacement and to watch for salmonella symptoms that can include fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, headache and dehydration.

John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc., based in Elgin, Illinois, announced the recall on May 5, with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration publishing the notice on May 6. The Target private-label trail mix was one of several snack mixes pulled from the market, alongside products sold under the Fisher, Southern Style Nuts and Squirrel Brand names. The affected items moved through retail stores, e-commerce outlets and QVC, showing how quickly a single ingredient issue can spread across mass-market food channels.

The recall traced back to a dry milk powder previously recalled by California Dairies, Inc. A third-party supplier used that dry milk powder in a seasoning blend that went into the snack mixes. John B. Sanfilippo & Son said the seasoning itself tested negative for Salmonella before it was used, but the company recalled the products out of caution after the ingredient connection emerged.

No illnesses had been reported in connection with the recalled snack mixes as of the announcement. Even so, salmonella can cause serious and potentially fatal infections, especially in young children, older adults, pregnant people and people with weakened immune systems. In severe cases, the infection can spread beyond the gut and into the bloodstream, turning a routine snack recall into a much more serious public health concern.

Target also listed the Good & Gather Mexican Street Corn Trail Mix on its recalls page dated May 5, underscoring how quickly the company moved to pull the product from shelves. The episode points to a familiar weak spot in the food system: when a single supplier ingredient is contaminated, the risk does not stay contained. It can move through private-label foods, branded snacks and online marketplaces at once, leaving consumers to sort through lot codes and best-by dates while retailers try to stop the spread.