Chocolate Brownie Recall in 14 States As Eating Product Could Be Fatal

A Massachusetts dessert retailer has recalled 2,048 trays of chocolate brownies from 14 states due to an "inadvertent mislabeling" which left the presence of peanuts in the products undeclared.

Dianne's Fine Desserts of Newburyport voluntarily recalled 512 cases of the product after the allergy warning was left off packaging. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said in an announcement on Wednesday: "People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to peanuts run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products."

Newsweek approached a representative for the company via email for comment on Thursday.

Peanut allergy is among the most common adverse food reactions among children in the United States, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. A 2021 study found that around 4.6 million Americans have the allergy, over 800,000 of whom appeared to have developed one after becoming an adult.

The company, which runs both a bakery and a wholesale outlet offering frozen thaw-and-serve desserts to other members of the food industry, notified the FDA on Tuesday that it was recalling Sienna Bakery Chocolate Decadent Brownies distributed by Gordon Food Service with the lot code 23243.

The federal food safety agency said the packages were distributed to other food service operators in Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

"The voluntary recall was initiated after a customer complaint noting that product containing peanuts was distributed in packaging that did not have the presence of peanuts called out on the label," the FDA explained. It added that, to date, there had been no adverse reactions to the product reported.

Severe peanut allergy can cause anaphylaxis if the legume is ingested, with symptoms including difficulty breathing, a swelling throat and fainting. These cases are usually treated with an injection of adrenaline.

Weaker forms of the allergy can lead to vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea, hives and swelling.

A 1999 study suggested that, at the time, around 1.1 percent of the U.S. population, or 3 million, had an allergy to peanuts or any tree nuts, such as almonds and cashews. However, those with a peanut allergy over two decades later accounted for 2.9 percent of the adult population—suggesting prevalence of the allergy has risen.

The chocolate brownie recall is not the first regarding undeclared allergens in a dessert. Earlier this week, a nationwide supermarket brand recalled a batch of egg custard pies because some of the packages may have contained a coconut pie instead.