Kroger cheese garlic croutons recall: If you bought these, do not eat them

If you recently bought Kroger Homestyle Cheese Garlic Croutons, it may be time to check the label.

Sugar Foods LLC has issued a voluntary recall for select lots of the product over concerns that a milk powder ingredient used in the seasoning blend may be contaminated with salmonella, according to a notice published by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The recall affects croutons sold at Kroger stores across 17 states. 

The affected item is sold in 5-ounce pouches of Kroger Homestyle Cheese Garlic Croutons with UPC code 0 11110 81353 4.

Affected “best if used by” dates include Feb. 17, Feb. 18, Feb. 27, Feb. 28, March 6, March 9, March 21, April 1 and April 7, 2027.

The recalled croutons were distributed between March 7 and April 7, 2026, to Kroger stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. 

The issue traces back to a broader recall involving California Dairies Inc., whose dry milk powder was later used by seasoning supplier Solina USA in the croutons’ flavouring blend. Sugar Foods said affected seasoning batches tested negative for salmonella before use, but the recall was launched as a precaution. 

No illnesses linked to the recalled croutons have been reported, but shoppers are being advised not to eat the product if they have an affected batch. 

According to the CDC, salmonella symptoms can include diarrhoea, fever, stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting, typically appearing between six hours and six days after exposure. Young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems may face more severe illness.