In July 2026, Maple Leaf Foods recalled more than 12,000 pounds of bacon sold in the Pacific Northwest.
In late July 2026, less than two weeks after produce company Taylor Farms recalled iceberg lettuce linked to a cyclosporiasis outbreak, social media users raised alarms about a new recall — this time for bacon.
According to one popular Instagram post (archived) shared on July 28, a company called Maple Leaf Foods recalled more than 12,000 pounds of bacon imported from Canada to the United States. The post claimed the bacon was distributed to retailers in Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
Other warnings about the recalled bacon also spread widely on Facebook (archived) and Instagram (archived),
On July 24, 2026, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced Maple Leaf Foods was recalling approximately 12,000 pounds of not ready-to-eat smoked bacon due to an import violation. Specifically, the bacon products were “imported from Canada without the benefit of import reinspection into the United States,” the agency said. Therefore, we’ve rated this claim as a genuine recall notice.
Notably, the FSIS said there had been “no confirmed reports of illness or injury” tied to the recalled bacon. The recall was issued because FSIS never inspected the bacon itself and therefore cannot confirm its safety.
FSIS said the recalled bacon was sent to Grocery Outlet distributors and retailers in Idaho, Oregon and Washington. It listed two products affected by the recall:
- 12-oz vacuum package of “Royale Natural Applewood Smoked ALL NATURAL Uncured Bacon Product of Canada” with sell by dates of “SEP 01 2026” and “SEP 07 2026” printed on the side of the package
- 12-oz vacuum package of “TOP VALU Uncured Hardwood Smoked Bacon PRODUCT OF CANADA” with various sell by dates of “SEP 01 2026”, “SEP 02 2026”, “SEP 04 2026”, “SEP 05 2026”, and “SEP 07 2026” printed on the side of the package
Images of the recalled bacon can be viewed here. The FSIS said consumers should throw away affected products or return them to the place of purchase.
In an email to Snopes, a spokesperson for Maple Leaf Foods said:
While it is accurate that this has been categorized a Class 1 recall, the issue is simply a lack of paperwork review at the border when the product was being transported. The product itself will not cause human illness. Consumer safety remains a top priority for Maple Leaf Foods.
According to FSIS, import inspectors at reinspection facilities check documents to assure products are properly certified by their country of origin, examine each shipment for general condition and labeling, and then carry out various inspection assignments based on the product and country of origin. These assignments may include weight checks, examinations of containers’ conditions, examinations for product defects, and laboratory testing for potential contamination and/or pathogens.
This process is called “reinspection” because the country of origin still inspects the product at some point before it’s shipped to the United States. That means the recalled bacon was inspected in Canada but has not been inspected since entering the United States.
Federal law requires “every commercial shipment of imported meat, poultry, and egg products to be inspected prior to product entering U.S. commerce.” As a result, imported meat that isn’t inspected in the U.S. is recalled.
