Dive Brief:
- Cheerios-maker General Mills is recalling 1.8 million boxes of Cheerios and Honey Not Cheerios made at its Lodi, CA, factory in July due to wheat flour contamination in its gluten free oat flour system, according to the company.
- The company is recalling and taking down cereals made on certain dates from warehouses and retailers. Those with allergies to wheat, celiac disease, or gluten intolerance are encouraged not to eat the products, according to a news release.
- A full list of the recalled boxes can be found here, but include 13 days production of Honey Nut Cheerios and four days of Yellow Box Cheerios.
Dive Insight:
The company announced in February it would begin labeling five Cheerios brands gluten-free, though only Multi-Grain Cheerios needed a recipe change as it contained barley and wheat.
The gluten-free trend has been a hit with consumers as they seek products with healthier perceptions. Over the past five years, gluten-free sales have hit $973 million with a CAGR of 34%. Approximately one in 10 global food and drink products launched in the 12 months preceding April 2015 was gluten-free, according to Innova Market Insights.
However, the trend has its detractors. So-called gluten intolerance has been a subject of fierce debate, including an op-ed in The New York Times earlier this year.