The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classified a popular dessert sold in three states with one of its risk levels.
“Almonds are not declared in the ingredient statement,” FDA officials said. “Almond is included in the description of the product on the front label.”
The recall is applicable to 54 units of Almond Despair Dark Chocolate with Coconuts, Almonds, & Carolina Reapers bars.
They are sold at specific retailers in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and South Carolina.
Stores include Curioporium at 168 Center Street in Southington, Connecticut, Puckerbutt Pepper Co. at 1376 Broadcloth Street in Fort Mill, South Carolina, and Army Barracks at 30 Broadway in Saugus, Massachusetts.
The 2-ounce chocolate bars are packaged in purple wrappers with UPC 09872615.
Company leaders did not respond to requests for comment by the time of publication.
“The ingredient statement incorrectly identifies macadamia nuts as present in the product,” the FDA said.
Since then, the FDA flagged the withdrawn product with a Level 3 risk alert.
A Class 3 event involves products that violate regulations but are unlikely to cause health problems, such as minor labeling errors.
A Class 1 event is defined on the FDA website as having a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to will cause serious adverse health consequences or death, while Class 2 signals that the risk is temporary or adverse health consequences are medically reversible.
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 FDA urged consumers who purchased the affected chocolate bars to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.