Whole Foods Chicken Salad Recalled Because It's Actually Tuna - Modern Farmer

Whole Foods Chicken Salad Recalled Because It’s Actually Tuna

Jessica Simpson's eternal question "Is this chicken I have, or is it fish?" has taken on greater significance with this mix-up.

A fowl foul led to a bait and switch at Whole Foods.
Photography Mike Mozart on Flickr

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, about 440 pounds of Whole Foods private label 12.5 oz. plastic containers of buffalo-style chicken salad has been recalled because it had no actual chicken – it was tuna. (Buffalo, let it be made clear, just refers to the style.) The product was made by Willow Tree Poultry Farm, a Massachusetts-based company that’s been around for more than 60 years that also happens to make tuna salad products. And therein lies the issue: the chicken salad labels were accidentally switched for the tuna salad ones.

The fishy situation was discovered by an eagle-eyed Whole Foods employee when they were unpacking the product (We’re going to try to refrain from any more fish or chicken puns, but it will be very, very hard not to slip any others into this story).

There’s something fishy about this chicken salad. photo: USDA

Since tuna is considered an allergen and the label doesn’t say it contains fish, the company voluntarily recalled the packages. The buffalo-style chicken products were produced on June 27 and have a sell-by date of July 13. They were distributed to around 35 Whole Foods in Western Connecticut, New Jersey and New York. There are no reports of anyone suffering any ill effects from consuming the product and no other Willow Tree products are affected by the recall. Consumers with questions can contact Alex Cekala, Willow Tree Poultry Farm’s general manager at (508) 951-8351.

So now when Ms. Simpson asks that eternal question: “is this chicken I have, or is it fish?” she’ll be in good company. Sorry, readers, when the fruit (errr…fish, chicken?) is hanging this low, it’s impossible to resist.

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