Wheat Germ, brand name PFM, package in bulk tote, approximately 1650 lbs. per tote. Product SKU is 1344.

Recall Insight

This FDA Food action (record #F-1686-2012) was formally reported on July 11, 2012, with the manufacturer initiating the action on June 5, 2012. It is classified under Moderate severity (Class II), with a current status of Terminated. Pendleton Flour Mills, Llc is listed as the recalling firm, operating out of Blackfoot, ID. Federal records indicate 16 totes (approximately 25,061 lbs) 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: Wheat germ product is contaminated with metal fragments, approximately 0.5mm in diameter and range 3-15mm in length. Distribution data in the federal record shows the product reached: Product was distributed to three consignees in CA, OR and UT.. 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 14 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.