Trader Joe's Hatch Valley Salsa, 12 oz. jars packed into trays of 12 and shrink-wrapped, UPC: 0053 6806, Dist. & Sold Exclusively By: Trader Joe's, Monrovia, CA 91016

Recall Insight

This FDA Food action (record #F-0029-2021) was formally reported on October 28, 2020, with the manufacturer initiating the action on October 1, 2020. It is classified under Moderate severity (Class II), with a current status of Terminated. Desert Premium Group, LLC is listed as the recalling firm, operating out of Albuquerque, NM. Federal records indicate 680 cases / 8160 12 oz. jars units are affected, placing this recall in the million-unit bracket that typically triggers nationwide consumer alerts and retailer sweeps.

The documented reason for this recall is: One batch of salsa had a recorded equilibrium pH of 6.65. Distribution data in the federal record shows the product reached: Nationwide from 2 distribution centers in CA. Distribution scope directly affects the consumer exposure window and determines whether a recall remains regional or escalates into a nationwide advisory.

To put this record in context, PlainRecalls indexes 83,949 recalls across the FDA, CPSC, NHTSA and USDA FSIS going back to 1995. Within the same product category, the database holds 6 closely related recalls, of which 6 were also issued by FDA Food. That clustering is a signal — repeated actions in a narrow category often indicate a systemic quality-control issue, a supplier-wide contamination, or a design defect that has propagated across product lines. This recall is roughly 6 years old; older recalls can remain relevant because many units enter resale, rental, and secondary-market channels where the original warning never reaches the end user. Always cross-check the recall number against the official agency page before relying on any summary.