Dive Brief:
- Kettle Cuisine LLC has recalled 3,096 pounds of soup that was delivered to Whole Foods stores for misbranding and undeclared allergens, according to Food Safety News. The impacted stores were in Connecticut, New Jersey, Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
-
While the soup’s label identified it as Mom’s Chicken Soup, the container actually had Italian wedding soup with meatballs. The Italian wedding soup contains known allergens such as eggs, milk and wheat, which were not declared on the product label.
- There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions as a result of the mix-up, but consumers with allergies are urged not to eat the soup.
Dive Insight:
A labeling mix-up of this scale is a scary proposition for consumers with food allergens and sensitivities, but Whole Foods is unlikely to suffer a PR headache, according to industry insiders.
The problem was discovered quickly and the grocery chain took the proper steps in getting the word out, including using social media to alert consumers of the mistake.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Services released a list of the top 10 labeling mistakes that manufacturers make, and undeclared allergens are is one of them. Just last month, VanLaw Food Products, Inc. recalled WinCo Brand Ranch Dressing because its label was missing an egg allergen declaration.
Companies need to have better systems in place to ensure they are following all proper labeling guidelines, as well as stricter enforcement. Penalties may also be needed in the future, as mix-ups with allergens can have deadly consequences for some consumers.