Nothing catches your eye like the announcement of a food recall. Often, you’ll read the announcement, quickly realize you’re not impacted, and go about your day.
What about those who are impacted by recalls? When something as life-threatening as food allergies is concerned (like the recent Ritz recall), it’s even more serious.
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On Tuesday, Ritz announced a recall impacting the 8-pack, 20-pack, and 40-pack of Ritz Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches.
Ritz’s parent company, Mondelēz International, said that the impacted products could “include individually wrapped packs that may be incorrectly labeled as Cheese variety even though the product may be a Peanut Butter variety.”
Given that peanut allergy is among the most common food allergies, this is a big deal. For some, even being in contact with the residue of peanuts can trigger a serious allergic reaction.
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Food allergy symptoms vary depending on the person and the severity of the allergy. Symptoms can range from minor stomach upset to severe anaphylaxis, which can be fatal.
Signs of an anaphylactic allergic reaction warrant emergency medical attention and include:
- Swelling of the lips, face, tongue, throat, or other body parts
- Wheezing, nasal congestion, or trouble breathing
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The first product involved in the recall is: 11.4 oz. RITZ Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches– 8 Count (8 x 1.38-oz. 6-pack carton)
The retail UPC for this product is 0 44000 88210 5
The best-by dates are 1 NOV 25 – 9 NOV 25
“AE” Plant Code Only
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The second product involved in the recall is: 27.6 oz. RITZ Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches– 20 Count (20 x 1.38-oz. 6-pack carton)
The retail UPC for this product is 0 44000 07584 2
The best-by dates are 1 NOV 25 – 9 NOV 25 and 2 JAN 26 – 22 JAN 26
“AE” Plant Code Only
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The third product involved in the recall: 55.2 oz. RITZ Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches– 40 Count (40 x 1.38-oz. 6-pack carton)
The retail UPC for the product is 0 44000 07819 5
The best-by dates are 1 NOV 25 – 9 NOV 25 and 2 JAN 26 – 22 JAN 26
“AM” Plant Code Only
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Finally, the last product involved in the recall: 27.3 oz. RITZ Filled Cracker Sandwich
20-Count Variety Pack (20 packs of 10 Cheese 1.38-oz. packs and 10 Peanut Butter 1.38-oz. packs)
The retail UPC for this product is 0 44000 08095 2
The best-by dates are 2 NOV 25 – 9 NOV 25
“RJ” Plant Code Only
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The individually wrapped packages of impacted products are the RITZ Cheese Cracker Sandwiches (1.38 oz. pack) with a UPC of 0 44000 00211 4, with best-by dates of 1 NOV 25 – 9 NOV 25 and 2 JAN 26 – 22 JAN 26
“AE” Plant Code Only
Remember, the issue is with the individually-wrapped packages of crackers labelled as cheese, but may contain peanut butter.
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According to the FDA, Mondelēz International says that the packaging film may have contained defects due to supplier issues.
The announcement by the parent company said, “Corrective actions are being taken to help ensure this issue does not recur.”
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Mondelēz International is encouraging those with peanut allergies to avoid eating the mislabeled products and discard any unopened packages that match the information we shared if they match the UPC code, best-by date, and plant code.
If the allergy issue with the mislabeling impacts you, you can also return the product.
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The good news is that there aren’t any reports of issues related to the mislabeled packages.
The GREAT news is that people with peanut allergies likely wouldn’t have ever picked up the recalled products in the first place because the cartons are labelled as containing peanut butter.
However, once the individually-wrapped packages are out of the carton, it could become confusing, especially for young children with peanut allergies.
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Hopefully, this mistake leads to changes that will help prevent a similar occurrence in the future.
If you have a food allergy or are the parent or caregiver of someone with an allergy, then you know how important proper food labeling is.
If you have a food allergy, have you ever experienced an accidental exposure due to a mislabeled product? Share your story in the comments!
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