Understanding the Past: What Core Power Foods Are Being Recalled?

October 17, 2025 •

3 min read

While there are no active, widespread 'Core Powerfoods' recalls in 2025, a significant event in late 2019 serves as a crucial case study in food safety, informing consumers what core power foods are being recalled when such issues arise. This historical recall involving Salmonella contamination highlights the importance of staying informed about product safety for any nutrition diet plan.

Quick Summary

This article details the 2019 recall of Core Powerfoods frozen meals due to Salmonella contamination, listing affected products, health risks, and consumer actions. It explains the importance of food safety vigilance in any nutrition plan and provides advice on checking current recall notices.

Key Points

Specific Products Recalled: The 2019 Core Powerfoods recall involved several frozen meal varieties, including 'Going Nuts', 'Deep South Chilli', 'Holy Meatballs', and 'Naked Chicken'.
Reason for the Recall: The frozen meals were recalled due to potential contamination with Salmonella Weltevreden, a microbial pathogen that can cause serious illness.
Affected Market: The recall primarily affected Australia, with products sold at Coles, IGA, and independent retailers across various states and territories.
Health Risks of Consumption: Symptoms of salmonellosis from consuming the contaminated products included fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and vomiting, with higher risks for vulnerable groups.
Consumer Action: Consumers were advised not to eat the products and to return them for a full refund or dispose of them safely.
Lessons for Food Safety: The incident highlights the importance of proper food handling and thorough cooking of frozen meals to eliminate potential bacteria, as microwaving can cook unevenly.

A Look Back at the Core Powerfoods Recall

In late 2019, a major food safety alert was issued in Australia concerning a number of Core Powerfoods frozen meals. The recall was initiated by Core Ingredients and was due to potential microbial contamination from Salmonella Weltevreden. This event is a critical reminder for anyone following a nutrition diet to remain vigilant about the source and safety of their food, especially pre-packaged meals.

The initial recall was expanded to include a wide variety of products sold through major retailers like Coles and IGA, as well as independent stores across Australia. The contamination led to reported cases of salmonellosis, prompting health authorities to advise consumers to dispose of or return the affected products immediately. This recall, while dated, serves as an important educational example for consumers to understand the process and risks involved with food safety issues.

The Health Risks of Salmonella

Consumption of food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria can lead to a serious gastrointestinal illness known as salmonellosis. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and typically appear within six to 72 hours after eating the contaminated food.

Key symptoms include:

Fever and headache
Diarrhea and abdominal pain
Nausea and vomiting

While most healthy individuals recover, salmonellosis can be particularly dangerous for vulnerable populations, including young children, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with compromised immune systems. In severe cases, it can lead to dehydration requiring hospitalization. This recall highlighted the need for careful handling and thorough cooking of frozen meals, as uneven heating can fail to kill harmful bacteria.

Products Affected by the 2019 Recall

The recall by Core Ingredients in 2019 included several different flavors and types of frozen meals. The specific products were packaged in 310g or 350g containers with plastic and cardboard sleeves.

A full list of the recalled Core Powerfoods frozen meals includes:

Going Nuts
Deep South Chilli
Muay Thai Meatballs
Holy Meatballs
Naked Chicken
Seismic Chicken
Old School
Smokey Mountain Meatballs

The Best Before dates for the recalled items were initially between 26/08/2020 and 4/10/2020, with subsequent updates from health authorities.

What To Do During a Food Recall

When a food recall occurs, public health organizations provide clear instructions. The Core Powerfoods recall provided a template for how consumers should respond.

Check the product: Verify if the product you own matches the name, size, and best-before date listed in the recall notice.
Do not consume: Immediately stop using the product if it is part of the recall. Cooking or reheating it may not be sufficient to eliminate the risk of illness.
Dispose or return: Either throw the product away or return it to the point of purchase for a full refund.
Seek medical advice: If you have consumed the product and feel unwell, especially with symptoms of salmonellosis, contact your doctor.

Comparing Approaches to Food Safety

Ensuring food safety is a multi-layered process involving manufacturers, retailers, and consumers. The Core Powerfoods event shows what can happen when a failure occurs in this chain. Comparing different approaches can highlight best practices.


Aspect	Frozen Meals (e.g., Core Powerfoods)	Home-Prepped Meals	Authority Notifications
Safety Mechanism	Relies on manufacturer's quality control and proper consumer reheating.	Dependent on consumer's own sourcing, handling, and cooking practices.	Official alerts from government bodies like FSANZ or FDA.
Risk Factor	Risk of contamination during manufacturing or distribution. Can be exacerbated by improper reheating.	Risk can come from contaminated ingredients, cross-contamination, or improper cooking techniques.	Delays in identifying and communicating issues can increase public exposure.
Response Mechanism	Manufacturer-led recall, consumer disposal/refund.	Relies on consumer to discard or avoid unsafe ingredients mentioned in broader recalls.	Public notices, media alerts, and retailer communication to inform consumers.

Conclusion

While the specific Core Powerfoods recall was an Australian event from 2019, it serves as a powerful reminder of how food safety issues can disrupt a nutrition-focused diet. The recall was prompted by Salmonella contamination in several frozen meals, posing significant health risks to consumers. Being aware of such incidents, understanding the symptoms of foodborne illness, and knowing how to act on recall notices are all crucial components of maintaining a safe and healthy eating plan. Consumers, whether using pre-packaged products or preparing food from scratch, must remain vigilant and prioritize safe food handling practices to minimize the risk of contamination. Recalls.gov and official health authority websites are reliable resources for staying informed.

Frequently Asked Questions

The recall was triggered by the potential contamination of various Core Powerfoods frozen meals with a specific strain of Salmonella known as Salmonella Weltevreden.

A range of frozen meals were recalled, including 'Going Nuts', 'Deep South Chilli', 'Muay Thai Meatballs', 'Holy Meatballs', 'Naked Chicken', 'Seismic Chicken', 'Old School', and 'Smokey Mountain Meatballs'.

The affected meals were available for sale at various retailers across Australia, including Coles, IGA stores, and independent retailers in several states and territories.

Consuming the recalled meals could cause salmonellosis, a gastrointestinal illness characterized by symptoms such as fever, headache, diarrhea, and vomiting. Vulnerable individuals faced more severe health risks.

Consumers who purchased an affected product were advised not to eat it and to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

For information on current food recalls, consumers should regularly check official government food safety websites, such as the FDA's site in the U.S. or the relevant food standards agency in their country.

Thorough cooking is essential to kill any potential bacteria, like Salmonella, that might be present. As the recall demonstrated, uneven cooking, especially in a microwave, can leave bacteria-contaminated food that is still unsafe to eat.