Rat Urine and Feces Exposure Prompt Recall of Thousands of Grocery Items in 3 States
Brand name foods, drinks, medications, and more were recalled after seriously unsanitary conditions were found at a distribution warehouse in Minneapolis, per the FDA.
Thousands of grocery items — including snacks, candies, beverages, pantry staples, over-the-counter drugs, hygiene items, and pet food — sold at stores in Indiana, Minnesota, and North Dakota have been recalled after an inspection revealed unsanitary conditions at the warehouse from which they were distributed, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced.
The FDA said a Minneapolis facility operated by Gold Star Distribution had “rodent excreta [feces], rodent urine, and bird droppings in areas where medical devices, drugs, human food, pet food, and cosmetic products were held.”
No illnesses related to this recall have been reported to date.
This kind of exposure means there is significant risk that items shipped from the facility could be contaminated with “filth and harmful microorganisms,” the FDA said. Exposure to contaminated products could lead to serious illness, the agency added, including salmonella poisoning and leptospirosis, an infection commonly transmitted by rat urine.
What Items Were Recalled?
The recall included approximately 2,000 household items, including:
Personal care: Axe body spray, Q-Tips, shampoo and conditioner, Vaseline, Gillette razors, Always panty liners, Trojan condoms, Oral B toothbrushes, Colgate and Crest toothpaste
Pet food: Purina Dog Chow, Puppy Chow, and Cat Chow; Fancy Feast
A full list of the recalled items can be found on the FDA’s website. The recalled items should be destroyed as soon as possible, the announcement said. Do not return them.
Gold Star said it would issue refunds upon request. The company can be reached at 612-617-9800.
What Stores Sold the Recalled Items?
Gold Star said the recalled items were distributed to “some or all” of the following stores.
Indiana
Aimmart International Market, Indianapolis
Minnesota
Kismayo Halal, Apple Valley
Desi Brothers, Bloomington
TBS International Mkt, Bloomington
Cliff Halal Market, Burnsville
Halal Foods LLC, Burnsville
Osari Trading LLC, Brooklyn Center
Viengchan Oriental Mkt, Brooklyn Center
EZ Stop Food Market, Brooklyn Park
Palms Market, Coon Rapids
Pangea World Market, Coon Rapids
Jerusalem Market, Columbia Heights
Ep Mart Inc., Eden Prairie
Peace Market, Hilltop
Cliff Halal Market, Burnsville
African Halal Deli Inc., Minneapolis
Afrik Store, Minneapolis
Ainu Shams Halal Food LLC, Minneapolis
Brothers Imports, Minneapolis
Caspian Bistro Restaurant, Minneapolis
Central Market, Minneapolis
Clinton Halal Market, Minneapolis
Durdur Market, Minneapolis
Elliot Market Inc., Minneapolis
Halal Mini Market, Minneapolis
Jimmy's Food, Minneapolis
Kalis Adult Daycare Center, Minneapolis
Lake Street Market, Minneapolis
Midwest Market, Minneapolis
Minneapolis Halal Market LLC, Minneapolis
Minnesota Halal Market, Minneapolis
Oasis Market And Deli, Minneapolis
Shabelle Grocery, Minneapolis
Star Foods, Minneapolis
Sudamic Import & Export Inc., Minneapolis
Super Plaza Halal Foods, Minneapolis
West Bank Mkt, Minneapolis
La Picante Market, New Hope
Baraka Grocery Inc., Rochester
Kimis Grocery Store Inc., Rochester
Kismayo Discount Store, Saint Cloud
Panjha Brothers LLC, Saint Cloud
Qalinle Family Grocery, Saint Cloud
Ashama Grocery, St. Paul
Ethio Market, St. Paul
Friendly Grocery & Deli, St. Paul
Ghaley Groceries Mart, St. Paul
Goinkh Trading LLC, St. Paul
Mcknight Shell Gas, St. Paul
Milton Halal Market, St. Paul
St Paul Grocery, St. Paul
Star Ocean, St. Paul
Sunray Halal Market, St. Paul
Mz Market, Shakopee
North Dakota
Fargo Halal Market, Fargo
How Exposure Could Make You Sick
The FDA said there are multiple hazards tied to these exposures, but highlighted salmonella poisoning and leptospirosis, which can pose serious risks to the very young, the very old, and people with weakened immune systems. This kind of contamination can also make pets sick.
Symptoms of both salmonella infection and leptospirosis include:
Fever
Headache
Diarrhea
Stomach cramps
Nausea and vomiting
Leptospirosis can also cause:
Chills
Body or muscle aches
Yellowed skin and eyes (jaundice)
Red eyes
If you think you may be getting sick from exposure to any of the recalled products, you should contact your doctor or another healthcare professional. If your pet ate recalled food, you should contact your veterinarian.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
Gold Star Distribution Inc., Issues Recall of Certain FDA-Regulated Products in Three States Including Drugs, Devices, Cosmetics, Human Foods, and Pet Foods. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. December 26, 2025.
Emily Kay Votruba has copy edited and fact-checked for national magazines, websites, and books since 1997, including Self, GQ, Gourmet, Golf Magazine,Outside, Cornell University Press, Penguin Random House, and Harper's Magazine. Her projects have included cookbooks (Padma Lakshmi's Tangy Tart Hot & Sweet), self-help and advice titles (Mika Brzezinski's Know Your Value: Women, Money, and Getting What You're Worth), memoirs (Larry King's My Remarkable Journey), and science (Now You See It: How the Brain Science of Attention Will Transform How We Live, Work, and Learn, by Cathy Davidson). She started freelancing for Everyday Health in 2016.
Monroe Hammond joined Everyday Health in 2021 and now runs the news desk as an editor. They received a master’s degree from the Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY, as well as a bachelor’s degree in film and media studies from Emory University in Atlanta.
Hammond has written and edited explainers on a number of health and wellness topics, including racial disparities in HIV treatment, the metabolic benefits of cold exposure, how the flu shot works, and solutions for seasonal dermatology woes. They have also edited pieces on the latest developments from NASA, the health repercussions of climate change, and the cutting edge of quantum physics. Their work has appeared in Popular Science, Insider, Psychology Today, and Health Digest, among other outlets.
Before turning to journalism, Hammond taught English while living in Thailand and Malaysia. They were born and raised in the American South, and currently live in Brooklyn with their spouse, three cats, and too many houseplants to count.
