FDA Issues Recalls for Chocolate Ice Cream and Candy Due to Undeclared Allergens
Both products could put those with allergies at serious risk.
Whether you're a diehard chocolate fan or just enjoy a taste from time to time, there's no arguing that even a small bite can put a smile on your face. There's just something about that rich chocolatey taste, especially if it's a chocolate ice cream cone on a hot summer day or a s'more around a cozy campfire. But you'll want to consider which products you're buying, as officials are warning about two separate chocolate recalls involving BonBon candy bars and Full Circle Market non-dairy ice cream.
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On Aug. 6, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that G.S. Gelato & Desserts, Inc. is recalling "a limited amount" of Full Circle Market Coconutmilk Chocolate Almond Crunch Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert. Recalled ice cream products were sold in individual 16-ounce paper carton pints.
The products were pulled because they advertise a frozen dessert made from coconut milk, but they actually contain an ice cream made with cashew milk. The issue was discovered when a retail store informed G.S. Gelato that the dessert's packaging "stated two different products." The carton of recalled products lists the Full Circle Market brand coconut milk dessert, while the lids display the Nature's Promise cashew milk variety.
Following an investigation, the company determined that a single lot of the Nature's Promise brand Cashewmilk Chocolate Almond Crunch Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert was mistakenly dispensed into the cartons for the Nature's Promise brand Cashewmilk Chocolate Almond Crunch Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert. The "urgent recall" was issued because the Full Circle Market product doesn't include cashews on its ingredient list, creating a potential health hazard.
"People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to cashew run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they consume the affected products," the FDA notice reads.
Recalled products were sent to distribution centers in Georgia, Massachusetts, and New York and to retail stores in New York, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. G.S. Gelato hasn't received any reports of adverse reactions, but customers are instructed not to consume the product if they have a cashew allergy or sensitivity.
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Allergy concerns also prompted a recall of every Marabou Sea Salt chocolate bar made by BonBon, a Swedish Candy Co. of New York, NY. The chocolate bars potentially contain undeclared almonds, wheat, and nuts. As a result, those with allergies and sensitivities who consume these products could have "serious or life-threatening allergic reactions."
The recalled chocolate bars were distributed to BonBon retail stores in New York and "sold alongside other imported packaged goods." While the packaging did note the products contained "traces of nut and wheat," the ingredients were "outside of its allergen profile." Products were removed from sales floors and destroyed at retail stores after BonBon was informed of the recall by its distributor.
No illnesses have been reported related to the BonBon recall; however, if you have an allergy, double-check your pantry. The products have the "'Marabou' trademark font and logo, yellow plastic packaging and the word '[havssalt]:' the Swedish word for 'sea salt,'" the recall notice states. They had expiration dates of April 9, 2024, and Sept. 11, 2024.
