FDA Flags Olive Oil Recall Over an Unapproved Garlic Ingredient

The post FDA Flags Olive Oil Recall Over an Unapproved Garlic Ingredient first appeared on Crafting Your Home.

A Cincinnati olive oil producer is recalling one of its flavored products after discovering that the garlic essential oil used in the recipe was not approved for culinary use.

LMSI LLC, which does business as Kofinas Olive Oil, announced the voluntary recall of its Garlic Mediterranean Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil on August 29. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration published the company’s announcement on August 31 as part of its public recall notices. The affected oil was sold in 500-milliliter, 250-milliliter, and 100-milliliter glass bottles.

The recall applies to product sold between August 31, 2025, and August 27, 2026, at two Cincinnati-area locations and through Kofinas’ website. No illnesses have been reported in connection with the recalled oil, according to the company notice posted by the FDA.

The stated reason for the recall is specific: Kofinas used a garlic essential oil that was not approved for culinary use.

That makes the issue different from a recall caused by confirmed bacterial contamination, an undeclared allergen, or a foreign object. The notice identifies the ingredient used to flavor the oil as the concern.

The word “essential” also matters here. Essential oils are concentrated substances commonly associated with fragrances, cosmetics, aromatherapy, and other applications. Their presence in a food product does not automatically mean that the particular oil is suitable for consumption. Food ingredients must meet the applicable requirements for their intended use.

The FDA’s notice does not identify the supplier of the garlic essential oil or explain how the company selected the ingredient. It also does not describe a specific adverse health effect associated with this oil. The public notice identifies the garlic essential oil as not approved for culinary use and lists that as the reason for the voluntary recall.

The affected product was on sale for almost 12 months, from August 31, 2025, through August 27, 2026. It was sold at Montgomery Store & Infusion Kitchen on Market Place Lane and Findlay Market on Race Street in Cincinnati, as well as directly through Kofinas Olive Oil’s website.

The FDA notice does not state how many bottles were sold during that period. It does, however, identify three bottle sizes: 500 milliliters, 250 milliliters, and 100 milliliters. All were packaged in glass bottles.

For consumers, the sales dates matter because someone who bought the product months ago may still have it in a pantry or kitchen cabinet. The recall is not limited to a recent batch purchased in the days immediately before the announcement.

Online sales also make the affected product different from a recall confined to a single store. Kofinas sold the oil directly through its website, meaning customers did not have to live near either of the two Cincinnati retailers to have purchased it.

Kofinas’ recall announcement says no illnesses have been reported involving the products covered by the recall. That remains the most important piece of health information currently available in the public notice.

The company does tell consumers experiencing signs or symptoms of an allergic reaction or foodborne illness to contact a physician immediately. That instruction appears in the recall announcement, although the notice does not say that such symptoms have been reported among people who consumed this particular oil.

That difference matters. A food recall can happen because a product violates food safety requirements even when no one has reported becoming sick. FDA recall records include actions involving potentially unsafe ingredients, labeling problems, manufacturing concerns, and other issues in addition to confirmed foodborne illnesses.

In this case, the public information does not establish that the recalled garlic oil caused an illness outbreak.

Consumers who still have the oil should not use it for cooking, dipping, dressing, or any other food preparation until they address the recall. The FDA’s listing identifies the product as recalled because it contains the garlic essential oil that was not approved for culinary use.

The company’s notice also provides two telephone numbers for questions: 513-325-5502 and 513-981-1412.

Kofinas states that customers who report a reaction to the oil will receive a full refund. The wording of the company announcement makes that refund specifically relevant to customers reporting a reaction, so consumers with questions about the return or refund process may want to contact the company directly rather than assume that the same procedure applies to every purchaser.

Hale Inc., based in Louisville, Kentucky, recalled Lotsa Pasta International Food Shop Roasted Garlic Infused Olive Oil and Fresh Basil Infused Olive Oil after the products were found to have been manufactured without an approved process filed to prevent the potential growth of Clostridium botulinum. The products were distributed in Kentucky, and the recall covered 54 bottles of each affected product.

Clostridium botulinum is associated with botulism, a serious illness caused by toxins the bacterium produces. The FDA’s recall records describe the Lotsa Pasta products as potentially contaminated with C. botulinum because they were manufactured without an approved process.

The FDA also explains that its recall notices can include company-issued announcements that the agency posts as a public service. Posting a company recall on the FDA website does not mean the agency is endorsing the product or company.

For this recall, that distinction helps explain why the public notice contains relatively limited information about the ingredient itself. The FDA page reproduces the company’s announcement, which identifies the product, sales period, locations, reason for the recall, illness status, and contact information.

The recall notice currently provides no public indication that Kofinas has reported illnesses associated with the oil or that the product is linked to a broader foodborne illness investigation. The available information remains focused on the ingredient used in the flavored oil.

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