Of course, this isn’t the first time shoppers have purportedly found foreign objects in their food, and it’s unlikely to be the last. As Time notes, it may simply be a symptom of industrialized food production. Parts from machines can break off and find their way inside food products. But it’s not just metal consumers have to worry about.
Costco had several major recalls in 2023 alone over foreign bodies in its Kirkland Signature brands. In October 2023, Costco recalled its Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Cookie in Canada over concerns about wood pieces in the cookies. In March 2023, Costco recalled 2.3 million cans of Kirkland cold brew. The affected cans contained metal, with 13 states being affected. It’s not just Costco, of course, but an industry-wide issue. For instance, reports found traces of heavy metals in many baby foods.
Still, food manufacturers are trying to improve how they keep food safe. In an interview with CBS, food expert Brian Buckley said, “They use a lot of magnets in large-scale food manufacturing to essentially try to catch the metal shavings at some point.” Costco has yet to issue a recall for these particular protein bars.