Anyone who's walked through a grocery store or turned on cable T.V. almost certainly knows about Pillsbury. With humble Minnesota beginnings, it has since evolved several times and gained worldwide notoriety. The company only sold flour at first, and while it still does, that product is now just a small portion of its stock. Founded by Charles Alfred Pillsbury in 1869, the brand has since become a masterclass in innovation and growth, developing a slew of products made to make baking simple. And with delicious recipes, a popular yearly Bake-Off, and a thriving online presence, Pillsbury continues to catapult itself to American cultural ubiquity -- but that's not all it's known for.
Even the most successful businesses go through hard times; and over the years, there have been more than a few dark days for the Pillsbury Doughboy, as the company struggled to keep many of its products on shelves. The recall process, coming to fruition after the passing of the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act, was meant to protect consumers from ingesting contaminants or allergens. Removals can either be done voluntarily by distributors or imposed by one of two government agencies. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, or the USDA, is responsible for overseeing all meat, poultry, and eggs products, while the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, widely known as the FDA, regulates all other consumable products, from prescription drugs to common lunchbox snacks. Though food recalls have recently been making headlines more frequently, Pillsbury has been dealing with them for decades.