An updated federal report indicates the recall's reach has grown—and a certain group of consumers should especially be on alert.
Sometimes it’s worth satisfying that sweet tooth craving a bite of chocolate—especially when recent research suggests certain types could help slow aging. But a January 14 update shows on an existing chocolate bar recall just received an upgraded warning from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)—the agency has declared the recall as a Class I, the most serious level, due to the presence of an undeclared allergen.
The recall, originally announced on December 20, 2025, involves a reported 112 units of Fran’s Pure Bar Almondmilk Chocolate 46% Madagascar Plant-Based. Seattle, Washington-based Fran’s Chocolates, LTD. announced a voluntary recall in a company notice posted with the FDA, citing “undeclared hazelnut” as the reason.
Though it was initially reported that the affected chocolate was sold at four Fran’s Chocolate Stores in Seattle, as well as online, between the dates of October 9, 2025, and December 15, 2025, new information from the FDA indicates the bars were distributed in four states—Colorado, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Washington—as well as “online at www.frans.com.”
Per the December 2025 FDA notice, one of the Fran’s Chocolates suppliers informed them that their Almondmilk chocolate ingredient tested positive for trace amounts of hazelnut due to processing on the same equipment as other products. The company notes that people who have an allergy or sensitivity to hazelnut run the risk of a serious or even life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume the bar.
While the recall was initiated on December 20, the FDA didn’t designate it as a Class I recall until January 14. A Class I recall signifies an event in which there is a “reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.”
There’s been at least one case of an “adverse allergic event” related to eating one of the affected chocolate bars, according to the FDA. No other illnesses or deaths had been reported as of December 20, 2025.
The FDA included the following identifying information:
Fran’s PureBar Almondmilk Chocolate 46% Madagascar Plant-Based
- Net weight: 1.1 ounce
- UPC: 7 49668 24280 2
- Ingredients: Sugar, cocoa butter, cocoa beans, almonds, sunflower lecithin, vanilla extract. May contain traces of milk, peanuts, and sesame.
Hazelnuts are considered tree nuts, which is a type of food allergy that affects an estimated 3.9 million Americans, according to the nonprofit FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education). Beyond hazelnuts, someone with a tree nut allergy may also be allergic to one or more other nuts, including walnuts, almonds, pecans, cashew, and pistachios.
The FDA also provided product photos in the December 20 announcement to assist in identification. The company urges customers not to consume the product and return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.
For daily wellness updates, subscribe to The Healthy newsletter and follow The Healthy on Facebook and Instagram. Keep reading:
- Recall on More Than 200,000 Lbs. of Tots Across 35 States Unveils a Teachable Moment for Consumers
- A 3,600-Pound Cheese Recall Affecting 4 States Just Received a Critical FDA Update
- More than 3,000 Lbs. of a Popular Veggie Side Recalled Due to a Peculiar Issue
- Recall on Almost 40,000 Bottles of Water in 6 States for “Black Foreign Substance”
