Photo: Sheila Fitzgerald (Shutterstock)
When you need caffeine, you don’t always have the time or energy to brew a pot of coffee. That’s part of what makes energy drinks so convenient and appealing. But it’s neither convenient nor appealing if they contain metal fragments, and unfortunately, that’s what might be in some ready-to-drink Starbucks beverages that have since been recalled. Here’s what to know.
Which Starbucks drinks are being recalled?
The beverages in question aren’t the ones custom made for you by a barista in a Starbucks coffee shop; they’re the kind sold in stores. Specifically, PepsiCo Inc. is recalling 15-ounce bottles of Starbucks Vanilla Espresso Triple Shot drinks.
The pre-made drinks come in cases of 12 bottles, and a total of 221 cases—or 2,652 bottles—are included in the voluntary recall over concerns that the beverages may be contaminated with metal fragments, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
But not all Starbucks Vanilla Espresso Triple Shot drinks have been affected: The recalled products were only distributed in Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Oklahoma, and Texas.
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At this point, no information—like a lot number or a product code—has been provided to help consumers identify which of the Starbucks drinks have been recalled. However, a PepsiCo spokesperson did tell USA Today that the beverages that potentially contain metal fragments have a best-by date of March 20, 2023.
What to do if you bought the recalled Starbucks drinks
So far, neither PepsiCo nor the FDA have provided instructions for consumers who purchased the recalled beverages. However, if you bought Starbucks Vanilla Espresso Triple Shot drinks in Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Oklahoma, or Texas, and they have a best-by date of March 20, 2023, hold off on drinking them—at least until more information on the recalled products is made available.
