FDA Announces Recall of Chocolate Snack Sold Online

Almondmilk Chocolate 46% Madagascar Plant-Based Pure Bars were distributed in Colorado, Massachusetts, Nevada, Washington state and sold online at Frans.com and in four Fran's Chocolates Seattle retail stores.

Juliette Fairley

Published: 1/16/2026, 10:48:31 AM EST

FDA Announces Recall of Chocolate Snack Sold Online — Image of recalled chocolate bar (Courtesy of the FDA)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) assigned its highest risk warning to 112 units of recalled vegan chocolate bars that were distributed in four states and sold nationally online.

The potential for allergic reaction to undeclared hazelnut led Fran's Chocolates of Seattle, Washington to voluntarily withdraw its Almondmilk Chocolate 46% Madagascar Plant-Based Pure Bars, according to a Jan. 14 FDA enforcement report.

“We have received a report of one adverse allergic event related to the consumption of Fran’s Pure Bar Almondmilk Chocolate 46% Madagascar Plant-Based,” FDA officials said.

This week, on Jan. 14, the FDA assigned the withdrawn sweet treat its Class 1 label, which is government agency’s highest.

A Class 2 recall event is described on the FDA website as exposure to a product that may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences.

A Class 1 recall is defined as having a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to will cause serious adverse health consequences or death, while a Class 3 event involves products that violate regulations but are unlikely to cause health problems, such as minor labeling errors.

The 1.1 ounce snack, initially recalled on Dec. 20, 2025, was distributed in Colorado, Massachusetts, Nevada, Washington state and sold online at Frans.com between Oct. 9, 2025 and Dec. 15, 2025.

Four Fran’s Chocolates stores in Seattle also sold the food item.

The chocolate bar’s ingredients include sugar, cocoa butter, cocoa beans, almonds, sunflower lecithin, vanilla extract and may contain traces of milk, peanuts and sesame.

However, hazelnuts were undeclared.

“A supplier informed us that their Almondmilk chocolate ingredient tested positive for trace amounts of hazelnuts because it was processed on the same equipment with other products,” FDA officials said.

There are nine major food allergens that the FDA requires all companies to identify in their products. They include milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame.

Almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, filberts, hazel nuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, and walnuts are all considered tree nuts by the FDA, and people who have allergies to nuts run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions, such as anaphylaxis, if they consume them.

The Mayo Clinic notes that anaphylaxis can result in blockages or narrowing of the breathing airways.

The FDA urged consumers who purchased the chocolate not to consume it and instead return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

No reports of illness or death have been reported on other Fran’s products to date, according to the FDA.

Fran's Chocolates company leaders did not respond to requests for comment.