TWI Foods is voluntarily recalling its Crispy brand cookies and rusk because the products many contain milk and/or almonds that are not declared on the labels.
Image courtesy of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
So far illnesses have not been reported, but consumers are being told to stop eating the products if they have allergies to milk or almonds.
The Canadian-manufactured cookies were distributed nationally in Canada, and in the U.S., they were sent to distributors in the following 15 states: California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Texas, Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, and Washington.
The following products were shipped to the U.S:
- Product: Crispy Pistachio Cookies UPC: 6 27265 00601 3 Size: 400 g
- Product: Crispy Pistachio Cookies UPC: 6 27265 00161 2 Size: 200 g
- Product: Crispy Almond Cookies UPC: 6 27265 00120 9 Size: 400 g
- Product: Crispy Almond Cookies UPC: 6 27265 00520 7 Size: 200 g
- Product: Crispy Coconut Cookies UPC: 6 27265 00121 6 Size: 400 g
- Product: Crispy Coconut Cookies UPC: 6 27265 00521 4 Size: 200 g
- Product: Crispy Almond Cake Rusk UPC: 6 27265 00217 6 Size: 750 g
Food allergy symptoms typically appear within few minutes to up to two hours after a person has eaten the allergen.
Common allergic reactions can include: hives; flush skin or rash; tingling or itchy sensations in the mouth, face, or tongue; lip swelling; vomiting and/or diarrhea; abdominal cramps, coughing or wheezing; dizziness and/or lightheadedness.
A person can also experience a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. This can lead to:
- Constricted airways in the lungs.
- Severe lowering of blood pressure and shock (called anaphylactic shock).
- Suffocation by swelling of the throat.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also warms that, “Initially mild symptoms that occur after ingesting a food allergen are not always a measure of mild severity. In fact, if not treated promptly, these symptoms can become more serious in a very short period of time, and could lead to anaphylaxis.”
The FDA says that each year in the U.S., it estimates that anaphylactic reactions to food result in:
- 30,000 emergency room visits.
- 2,000 hospitalizations
- 150 deaths
Health officials are warming consumers who think that they may have become sick from eating the cookies or rusks to consult their doctors.
The FDA is monitoring the problem in collaboration with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), and public health agencies in those states where the products have been distributed.
For more information, concerned consumers and business providers are being asked to call the CFIA at: 1-800-442-2342/TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST., Monday through Friday).
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