Kofinas olive oil recall: 3 sizes of garlic-infused oil sold in Cincinnati

What was recalled

LMSI LLC / Kofinas Olive Oil, of Cincinnati, Ohio, is voluntarily recalling its Garlic Mediterranean Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The flavored oil was bottled in glass bottles in three sizes, 500 ml, 250 ml and 100 ml, and all three are included.

The FDA lists the company as LMSI LLC and the brand as Kofinas. The company's announcement carries a Cincinnati dateline of Aug. 29, 2026; the FDA's summary gives Aug. 31, 2026 as both the company announcement date and the FDA publish date.

The recall covers only the garlic-infused oil. The notice does not name any other Kofinas product, so plain extra virgin olive oils and other infused flavors from the company are not described as affected. It also does not give a bottle count, lot codes, batch numbers or best-by dates; the product is identified by name, size and the period during which it was sold.

Why the oil was recalled

The reason is an ingredient rather than a contaminant. The company says the oil was made using a garlic essential oil not approved for culinary use. The FDA's summary phrases the reason as: contains garlic essential oil not approved for culinary use, and files the announcement under the Ingredients topic rather than allergens or foodborne illness.

The notice does not explain what the garlic essential oil was approved for, why it is not approved for food, or what effect, if any, it could have on someone who consumed the oil. It offers no specific health warning about the ingredient beyond a general instruction that individuals exhibiting signs or symptoms of an allergic reaction or food-borne illness should contact a physician immediately. This article does not fill that gap with speculation.

Ingredient and packaging problems drive several other food recalls in this series, including the Hodo chili crisp tofu recall over printing ink and the Lundberg jasmine rice recall over foreign material.

Where the oil was sold

The recalled products were available for sale from Aug. 31, 2025 to Aug. 27, 2026, a span of almost a year. The notice lists three sales channels:

• Montgomery Store & Infusion Kitchen, 8210 Market Place Ln., Cincinnati, OH 45242
• Findlay Market, 1801 Race St., Cincinnati, OH 45202
• Online sales directly from www.kofinasoliveoil.com

The two physical locations are both in Cincinnati, which is why this is described as a Cincinnati-area recall. The online channel means bottles may have gone to customers well outside the area, so anyone who ordered from the website during that window should check their bottles too. The notice does not mention any third-party retailers, grocery chains or marketplaces such as Amazon.

How to identify the recalled bottles

With no lot codes or best-by dates on the notice, identification comes down to three things: the product name on the label, the bottle size and when you bought it. Look for Kofinas Garlic Mediterranean Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a 500 ml, 250 ml or 100 ml glass bottle purchased between Aug. 31, 2025 and Aug. 27, 2026 from either Cincinnati location or the company's website.

If you are unsure whether a bottle was bought in that window, an online order confirmation or a receipt from Findlay Market or the Montgomery store will show the date. The notice provides two phone numbers for questions, 513-325-5502 and 513-981-1412.

Reported illnesses

None reported. The company states that there have been no reports of illnesses involving the products addressed in this recall, as of the Aug. 29, 2026 announcement.

The notice's only health guidance is general: individuals exhibiting signs or symptoms of an allergic reaction or food-borne illness should contact a physician immediately. It does not say what symptoms, if any, the garlic essential oil could cause, and it does not report any complaints. This article does not add symptoms the notice does not describe.

The notice also ties its refund language to reactions: it says any customer who reports a reaction to the oil will receive a full refund. It does not say how such reports are assessed or whether a doctor's note is needed.

What to do if you bought it

This notice is brief on instructions. It does not spell out whether to discard or return the bottle. Its explicit statements are that the products are being recalled, that individuals exhibiting signs or symptoms of an allergic reaction or food-borne illness should contact a physician immediately, and that any customer who reports a reaction to the oil will receive a full refund.

Questions should be addressed to 513-325-5502 or 513-981-1412, the only contact channels listed. The notice does not mention an email address, and it does not describe a refund or replacement for customers who have not had a reaction. If you want to know whether an unopened bottle can be returned, ask the company directly. The FDA's recall resources page explains in general terms what a recall means for consumers.

1. Check your bottles for Kofinas Garlic Mediterranean Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a 500 ml, 250 ml or 100 ml glass bottle.
2. Confirm when you bought it: the recall covers bottles sold from Aug. 31, 2025 to Aug. 27, 2026 at the Montgomery store, Findlay Market or kofinasoliveoil.com.
3. Call 513-325-5502 or 513-981-1412 to ask the company how it wants recalled bottles handled; the notice does not spell this out.
4. If you have signs or symptoms of an allergic reaction or food-borne illness, contact a physician immediately, as the notice advises.
5. If you report a reaction to the oil, the notice says the company will provide a full refund; keep your receipt or order confirmation.

Who issued the recall and when

The recall was issued by LMSI LLC / Kofinas Olive Oil of Cincinnati, Ohio, as a voluntary recall. The company's announcement is datelined Cincinnati, Aug. 29, 2026; the FDA's summary lists Aug. 31, 2026 as both the company announcement date and the FDA publish date. The FDA files it under Food & Beverages, topic Ingredients, with the reason: contains garlic essential oil not approved for culinary use.

The FDA posts company announcements as a public service and does not endorse the product or the company. There is no FDA recall number or Class I, II or III classification on the posting; if the FDA assigns one, it appears in the agency's Enforcement Reports.

The notice does not describe the recall's status beyond the announcement, does not say whether FDA testing or an inspection prompted it, and does not say how many bottles were sold. Readers who want to confirm details should read the FDA posting directly and call the company with questions.

How to monitor recalls and why to keep your receipts

Small producers may announce a recall on their own website before the FDA posts it, so check the brand's site too. Food recalls are posted on the FDA recalls page and through FoodSafety.gov alerts; meat and poultry recalls come from USDA FSIS; household products are on the CPSC recalls page; and vehicle recalls can be checked by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Retailers sometimes email buyers of a recalled item.

Keep the receipt or order confirmation and photograph the bottle and label before discarding or returning it. That proof of purchase may matter if a company refund, reimbursement or a future claim program becomes available; here the notice ties a refund to a reported reaction. Our guide to finding money you are owed covers other records worth keeping. Owed tracks open class action settlements (not recalls); browse them at settlements.html.

Glossary

Voluntary recall

A recall the company initiates itself rather than one ordered by the FDA. LMSI LLC / Kofinas Olive Oil describes this action as voluntary.

Essential oil

A concentrated plant extract. The notice says the garlic essential oil used in this product is not approved for culinary use; it does not say what it is approved for.

Culinary use

Use as a food or food ingredient. The recall reason is that the garlic essential oil was not approved for this use.

Infused olive oil

Olive oil flavored with another ingredient, here garlic, sold as Garlic Mediterranean Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Sales window

The dates a recalled product was on sale, here Aug. 31, 2025 to Aug. 27, 2026, used to identify bottles because the notice lists no lot codes.

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