Elevated risk U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Tovala Gochujang-Glazed Salmon and Pork Bowls recall: Undeclared peanuts

Recall published 4+ years ago

Undeclared peanuts

Tovala Seafood — recalled seafoodTovala Seafood — recalled seafood (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 peanuts run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these meals.

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
July 12, 2022
Risk level
Elevated risk
Issued by
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Brand
Tovala
Product type
Seafood

Products covered by this recall

Gochujang-Glazed Salmon and Pork Bowls

What the company announced

July 12, 2022 – Tovala of Chicago, Illinois, is voluntarily recalling Gochujang-Glazed Pork Chop Bowl and Gochujang-Glazed Salmon Bowl prepared meals, because they may contain undeclared peanuts. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to peanuts run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these meals.

The Gochujang-Glazed Pork Chop Bowl and Gochujang-Glazed Salmon Bowl meals were distributed through Tovala’s weekly direct-to-consumer meal delivery service to customers across the continental United States who selected the meals for delivery the week of July 4, 2022. Tovala directly notified customers by email and push notifications who were shipped the affected meals, as well as disabled the QR codes used for cooking the meals.

The Gochujang-Glazed Pork Chop Bowl and Gochujang-Glazed Salmon Bowl meals are packaged in individual meal sleeves or boxes that include a meal card with a QR code and labeled as Gochujang-Glazed Pork Chop Bowl and Gochujang-Glazed Salmon Bowl. The affected meals are marked with Enjoy By dates between 7/11/22 through 7/14/22. No other Tovala meals are impacted by this recall.

This recall was initiated after Tovala discovered that an ingredient sourced from a third-party supplier contained an undeclared peanut allergen. The ingredient was used in the Gochujang Glaze, which was included in the recalled meals. To date, the company has received one report of an adverse reaction.

Consumers who may still have the recalled meals should immediately dispose of them. For more information, please contact Tovala at [email protected] , or 312-818-4437 (Mon.-Thurs. 9am-7pm, Fri. 9am-6pm, Sat. and Sun. closed CT) or reach out via live chat on tovala.com (Mon.-Thurs. 9am-10pm, Fri. 9am-8pm, Sat. and Sun. 11am-6pm CT).

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.

Check your product

The notice names 2 codes you can read straight off the package. Type the one printed on yours and the list below narrows to it.

Best-by / use-by date

Printed beside the lot code, not on the price sticker.

  • 7/11/22
  • 7/14/22

Codes are lifted verbatim from the FDA — Company recall announcements notice. A code that is missing here may still be covered — the official notice is the complete list.

What to do about Nuts

Tovala — 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. Make sure the household epinephrine auto-injector is where it should be and in date, if someone here carries one.
  3. If a reaction has already happened, report it to the FDA through its consumer complaint coordinator so the case is attached to this recall.
  4. Tell anyone else who eats from your kitchen, including childminders, schools and anyone catering an event you contributed to.

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 may still have the recalled meals should immediately dispose of them.

Company contact: Tovala — Consumers: Tovala, 312-818-4437, [email protected]

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 Tovala seafood recalled?

Undeclared peanuts People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to peanuts run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these meals.

How do I know if I have the recalled product?

Match the codes printed on your package against the notice: best-by date 7/11/22 or 7/14/22. If the code on your package is not on that list, your unit is outside the recall.

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 may still have the recalled meals should immediately dispose of them.

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