On March 6, 2025, Coca-Cola initiated a voluntary recall of 864 12-count original Coke packs in Wisconsin and Illinois. According to the FDA’s public access site, plastic foreign objects may have entered cans distributed by Coca-Cola’s Reyes bottling plant in Milwaukee.
On March 24, 2025, the FDA labeled this instance as a Class II recall, which it defines as “use of or exposure to a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.” As of March 25, Coca-Cola has not given a press release detailing the exact nature of the contamination.
While retailers and grocery stores throw out recalled food items to prevent further spread, it’s vital that citizens in Wisconsin and Illinois know how to identify recalled items. If you are a citizen of either state and have purchased a 12-pack of original flavor Coke within the last month, it’s suggested you take time to determine whether or not your drinks may be at risk of contamination.
How to identify recalled items
The FDA’s press release contains precise Universal Product Codes (UPC) of possible contaminated items. These numbers be found directly underneath the bar codes printed on individual cans and packs.
For individual cans, the UPC code of possibly contaminated cans is 0 49000-00634 6. For the 12-pack containers, look for the code 0 49000-02890 4. If you are still unsure whether or not your sodas fall under the recall, you can also look for time stamps on the cans reading 11–1253 or SEP2925MDA. If any of your Cokes contain these codes or stamps, throw them out immediately.
From less than a thousand packs of soda affecting a couple states to the biggest food recalls to ever hit Costco, rising rates of food recalls are difficult to keep track of. Fortunately, the FDA published all of its enforcement reports on its website and citizens can even sign up for its recall subscription service if they are still wary. Keeping abreast of changes in recall statuses is important when shopping for any foodstuffs, so be sure to stay up-to-date and check your items as needed.
