Two Candy Bars Recalled Before Halloween Over Allergens

Halloween's in a few days and there's a candy recall.

Zingerman's Candy Manufactory announced October 27 they're recalling two candy bars after a production mix-up. Peanut Butter Crush Bars containing cashews and Cashew Cow Bars containing peanuts got distributed in packaging that didn't list these ingredients.

For people with nut allergies, that's potentially life-threatening.

What happened

It was a mix-up in the production line. Peanut Butter Crush Bars are supposed to have peanuts. Cashew Cow Bars are supposed to have cashews. But somehow each bar ended up with the wrong nut, and the packaging didn't reflect the actual ingredients inside.

The company says it was caused by a temporary breakdown in production and packaging. They claim it's fixed now.

No illnesses have been reported yet. But nut allergies are serious. People can go into anaphylactic shock. So, this isn't a minor labeling issue.

Which products are recalled

Both have Lot #174250.

Zingerman's Peanut Butter Crush Full Size Bars - Come in yellow and purple 2-ounce boxes. Should contain peanuts but actually contain undeclared cashews.

Zingerman's Cashew Cow Full Size Bars - Come in light blue and yellow 2-ounce boxes. Should contain cashews but actually contain undeclared peanuts.

Check the lot number on the packaging. If it says 174250, don't eat it.

Where they were sold

These were sold in Michigan and New York and distributed to retailers. They reached consumers through retail stores.

So, if you bought these candy bars recently in either state, check the lot number.

How many bars are affected

There were 156 Peanut Butter Crush Bars and 78 Cashew Cow Bars total. So, not a massive number.

"While our range of Candy Bars is one of our most popular products, the number of bars affected was a tiny fraction of our output," a Zingerman's spokesperson said.

Small fraction of production doesn't matter much if you're the person with a peanut allergy who ate the Cashew Bar.

What to do if you have these

Don't eat them. Throw them away or return them to where you bought them for a refund.

If you have questions or concerns, contact Zingerman's at 877-632-9264.

The allergen labeling problem

This keeps happening. Production mix-ups, packaging errors, undeclared allergens in food products. Recalls go out after the stuff's already been distributed and potentially eaten.

Allergen labeling isn't optional. It's life or death for some people. A kid with a peanut allergy grabs a Cashew Cow Bar thinking it's safe because peanuts aren't listed. Takes a bite. Now they need an EpiPen and a trip to the ER.

That's the risk here.

What Zingerman's is doing

They notified wholesale customers who received the bars. Products have been removed from sale. Many have been returned to the company.

The breakdown in production and packaging that caused this has supposedly been fixed. So future batches shouldn't have this problem.

But the 234 bars already out there still need to be tracked down and thrown away.

Check your Halloween candy

If you bought candy bars from Zingerman's recently, check the lot number and product name.

Peanut Butter Crush or Cashew Cow with Lot #174250.

Parents checking Halloween candy should look for these too, though the chances of them showing up in trick-or-treat bags are pretty low. These aren't individually wrapped fun-size bars. They're full-size bars in branded packaging.

Still worth knowing about though.

Bottom line

Zingerman's recalled 156 Peanut Butter Crush Bars and 78 Cashew Cow Bars because of undeclared allergens. Peanut bars contained cashews. Cashew bars contained peanuts. Neither label listed the actual ingredients inside.

Sold in Michigan and New York. Lot #174250 for both products.

No illnesses reported yet but nut allergies are serious and this mix-up could be life-threatening for people with allergies.

Contact the company if you have questions. And maybe double-check all your Halloween candy this year.

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