In one of the nation's biggest 'burbs, containers are being pulled for a dietary restriction affecting 4 million Americans.
The peak of summer may be over, but comemmorating the first day of school today in some parts of the country with ice cream never goes out of style. You might want to freeze before picking up that celebratory scoop, as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just announced a new recall in a Tuesday morning alert.
New York is one state where some communities start school today. That’s also where an FDA notice states that 40 pints, eight quarts, and three half-gallons of Vanilla G.Nutt ice cream have been recalled by Mount Vernon, NY-based Ice Cream Factory—which seems to be an ice cream shop in Mount Vernon, NY, that also has a wholesale business.
The recalled containers appear to have been distributed in parts of Westchester, one of New York City’s biggest suburbs, as well as one of the city’s boroughs itself. The FDA lists Golden Krust retail stores in Mount Vernon and White Plains, as well as Farm Country Supermarket in Queens, NY, “through direct delivery” in the distribution details.
The FDA provided the following product details:
Vanilla G.Nutt ice cream is packaged in plastic pints and half gallons; and white paper coated quart containers. The pint UPC code is 8 56781 00361 3, the quart UPC code is 8 56781 00362 0 and the half gallon UPC code is 8 56781 00363 7. Expiration date is March 2027. This information is located on the back label of the container.
The problem, according to the FDA, is the vanilla ice cream may have “undeclared almond,” which could result in serious health issues for some consumers as the almond is a tree nut. States the notice: “People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to tree nuts run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.” The report states no illnesses have been reported in connection at press time.
Nearly 4 million Americans have a tree nut allergy, according to Food Allergy Research & Education, which lists walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, cashews, and pistachios as the “most commonly reported” tree nut allergies.
An investigation after the recall’s initiation found a “temporary breakdown” in both the company’s production and packaging processes, reports the FDA. Consumers are instructed to return the recalled ice cream to the original place of purchase for either “a full refund or another flavor.”
This summer has been an unusually big one for ice cream recalls, with at least six that we’re aware of having occurred since last May. Those include one in late July that affected some Walmart customers, and another that impacted some food-allergic consumers in three states. Most have been executed due to the inclusion of allergens that were not declared on the product labels.
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