Elevated risk U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Marabou Sea Salt chocolate bar recall: Undeclared Allergen-Undeclared Almond, Wheat and nuts

Recall published 2+ years ago

Undeclared Allergen-Undeclared Almond, Wheat and nuts

Marabou Candy & chocolate — recalled candy & chocolateMarabou Candy & chocolate — recalled candy & chocolate (photo 2)
2 photos published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration with the recall notice.

The hazard: Undeclared peanuts or tree nuts

This recall is a labelling failure: peanuts or tree nuts is present and the label does not say so. That is harmless to most households and genuinely dangerous to a few.

What the notice says: People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to almonds and wheat run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.

Why it matters: The label does not declare peanuts or tree nuts, so anyone who reads labels to avoid it has no way of knowing it is in there. For people without that allergy the product is safe to eat.

Symptoms and when to call a doctor

An undeclared allergen is a danger only to people allergic or intolerant to that ingredient. For everyone else the food is safe. Reactions range from an itchy mouth, hives, stomach cramps or vomiting through to anaphylaxis — swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, a tight chest, wheezing, a sudden drop in blood pressure or collapse. If anaphylaxis is suspected, use an epinephrine auto-injector straight away and call 911, even if the symptoms seem to settle, because a second wave can follow hours later.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you feel unwell, a clinician who can see you is the only person able to judge your case.

Recall details

Published
August 2, 2024
Risk level
Elevated risk
Issued by
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Brand
Marabou
Product type
Candy & chocolate
Distribution
New York
Reports of harm
No illnesses have been reported to date.

Products covered by this recall

Sea Salt chocolate bar

What the company announced

BonBon - A Swedish Candy Co. of New York, NY is recalling every Marabou Sea Salt chocolate bar, because it may contain undeclared almonds, wheat, and nuts. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to almonds and wheat run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.

Marabou Sea Salt was distributed in BonBon retail stores located at 130 Allen St, 1220 Lexington Ave and 705 Driggs Ave in New York City and was sold alongside other imported packaged goods.

The product can be identified by the ‘Marabou’ trademark font and logo, yellow plastic packaging and the word ‘havvsalt:’ the Swedish word for ‘sea salt.’ The product is a flat chocolate bar (9” x 4”) and weighs 185g. The expirations and production codes of the implicated inventory is 04.09.2024 and 09.11.2024 as well as OUV0134912 and OUV0140643.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The recall was initiated after it was discovered that batches of Marabou Sea Salt contained almonds, wheat and nuts outside of its allergen profile. The packaging disclosed the product contained “traces of nuts and wheat.” On May 8, 2024, BonBon was informed of the recall by our distributor, Ert Godis, and the product was removed from the sales floor and subsequently destroyed at every retail location.

Consumers who have purchased Marabou Sea Salt are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 212-786-0094, Monday through Sunday from 10am-12am.

Reproduced from the company announcement posted on fda.gov. Links and contact forms in the original are not repeated here; the official notice below has them.

What to do about Nuts

Marabou — This recall is a labelling failure: peanuts or tree nuts is present and the label does not say so. That is harmless to most households and genuinely dangerous to a few.

  1. If anyone in your household avoids peanuts or tree nuts, stop serving the product immediately and check whether any was used in food already prepared.
  2. Keep the pack if you want a refund, or photograph the label and the lot code and then bin it. If nobody in the house avoids peanuts or tree nuts, you may simply eat it — the recall is about disclosure, not spoilage.
  3. Make sure the household epinephrine auto-injector is where it should be and in date, if someone here carries one.
  4. If a reaction has already happened, report it to the FDA through its consumer complaint coordinator so the case is attached to this recall.

How to get your money back

Food recalls carry a full refund, and in the United States you usually do not need the receipt or the packaging.

  • Take the product, or your photo of the label, to the customer service desk of the store where you bought it. Nearly every national grocer refunds recalled food on the spot.
  • Bought it online? Open the order in your account and use the refund option; marketplace sellers are required to honour a federal recall.
  • If the store refuses, contact the recalling company using the details on this page. The firm, not the shop, carries the cost of a recall.
  • If you have a loyalty card, the retailer can look the purchase up in your history — Kroger, Costco and Walmart all do this routinely.

Remedy named in the notice: Consumers who have purchased Marabou Sea Salt are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Company contact: BONBON - A SWEDISH CANDY CO. — Consumers: BONBON - A SWEDISH CANDY CO., 212-786-0094 — Media: Sophie Stoch, 212-786-0094

The official notice

This page summarises a notice published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The agency notice is the authoritative version — read it before you act, and treat it as the final word if anything here looks different.

Open the FDA — Company recall announcements record U.S. Food and Drug Administration recalls

Questions people ask about this recall

Why was Marabou candy & chocolate recalled?

Undeclared Allergen-Undeclared Almond, Wheat and nuts People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to almonds and wheat run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.

How do I know if I have the recalled product?

The notice does not publish package codes for this recall. Compare the product name, size and the purchase window against the official FDA — Company recall announcements record, and contact the company if you are unsure.

What should I do with it right now?

If anyone in your household avoids peanuts or tree nuts, stop serving the product immediately and check whether any was used in food already prepared.

Can I get my money back?

The notice says: Consumers who have purchased Marabou Sea Salt are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Which states were affected?

The notice lists New York.

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