2,000 Trays Of Brownies Recalled In 14 States Due To Mislabeling
Not all food recalls are prompted by a pathogen like E. coli or salmonella. Sometimes, totally normal ingredients can cause a food to be pulled from shelves – if it isn't included in the ingredients list.
That's the case in this most recent recall by Massachusetts-based confectioner Dianne's Fine Desserts. A total of 2,048 trays, or 512 cases, of packaged chocolate brownies by the brand have been recalled in 14 states due to an undeclared peanut allergen. In what the FDA is calling an "inadvertent mislabeling," the warning was left off of the packaging. The voluntary recall was announced by federal health officials on Wednesday.
The undeclared peanut content is strong enough that consumers with a serious allergy could experience a life-threatening or even fatal reaction to the brownies if unknowingly ingested. Luckily, no injuries or adverse reactions have been reported so far. According to the FDA, the recall was only initiated after one customer complaint identified that the "product containing peanuts was distributed in packaging that did not have the presence of peanuts called out on the label."
The affected products are labeled as Sienna Bakery Chocolate Decadent Brownies tray form and Sienna Bakery Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies for those that come in cases. If you have purchased the chocolate brownies, the lot code 23243 will be printed in the bottom right corner of the tray. Master cases of the peanut butter brownies are printed with the lot number 6Z3H31 or code 23243.
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A Small Error But A Serious One
Peanut allergy is one of the most common allergies in the U.S. and one of the most common causes of severe allergic reactions. Allergic reactions typically happen within minutes or up to two hours, with common symptoms including hives, swelling around the mouth, difficulty breathing, or nausea. Even a small amount of peanuts can send a person with a peanut allergy into anaphylaxis — and an estimated one in 15 children in America are allergic.
The brownies have been distributed by wholesale food retailer Gordon Food Services throughout 14 states (Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, South Carolina, and West Virginia). Folks can return the affected items to their place of purchase for a full refund.
Mass food recalls due to labeling errors may feel like they have emerged as something of a trend this year. In March, Russell Stover Peanut Butter Cups were recalled for the same issue as the Dianne's brownies – an undeclared peanut allergen. Just three weeks ago, over 147,000 pounds of pasta were pulled from shelves for failing to print a known egg allergen.
Read the original article on Tasting Table.
