The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is warning consumers about the presence of potentially dangerous undeclared allergens in a pork skin snack product.
A recall announcement shared to the FSIS website on Wednesday warns that 1.7-ounce packages of “BONNEVAL’S BBQ Pork Skins” are mislabeled and contain both wheat and soy—ingredients that may trigger the potentially fatal condition anaphylaxis in those who are allergic.
Bonneval Foods, LLC, distributed snacks to retail outlets in Louisiana. The affected items, packaged in plastic bags, include the establishment number “EST. 2249” inside a USDA inspection mark on the label. The label fails to mention that wheat and soy are present in the ingredient Worcestershire powder.
While no illnesses related to the mislabeling had been reported as of Wednesday night, consumers were urged to discard the products and those with concerns about adverse reactions were asked to contact a medical professional.
“FSIS is concerned that some products may be in consumers’ pantries,” the announcement states. “Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.”
The presence of the allergens was discovered “during routine FSIS in-plant verification activities.” It was unclear when the discovery was made, when the products were sold and how many units may have been sold without the proper labeling.
Newsweek reached out for comment to FSIS via email on Wednesday night.
While the vast majority of consumers are likely to be unaffected by the inclusion of ingredients like wheat or soy, failing to list the ingredients could have major ramifications for those with sensitivities. Undeclared ingredients have proved fatal on occasion.
Connecticut-based Northeastern supermarket chain Stew Leonard’s recalled packages of its Florentine cookies last year following the death of a woman who ate the cookies without realizing that they contained peanuts.
The victim was later identified as Órla Baxendale, a 25-year-old British national who had moved to New York City to pursue her career as a “world class” dancer, according to NBC New York.
Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli called Baxendale’s death “a heartbreaking tragedy that should never have happened” in a statement issued at the time.
The presence of undeclared wheat in food products also presents a serious medical risk for those with celiac disease, an autoimmune condition distinct from a wheat allergy and leaves those affected with a hypersensitivity to the gluten found in wheat and some other grains.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.