CA Firm Recalls Co-packed Chocolate Powder Mix Due to Ingredient Supplier Concern for Salmonella

Ghirardelli Chocolate Company of San Leandro, California is voluntarily recalling certain powdered beverage mixes because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. This action follows a California Dairies, Inc. milk powder recall due to a concern of potential Salmonella contamination, which was supplied to a third-party manufacturer and used as an ingredient in powdered beverage mixes.

The affected beverage mixes are packaged in large formats intended for food service and institutional customers, but some powdered beverage mixes may also have been available for purchase by consumers through e-commerce platforms.

Comment - This is essentially a supplier's supplier issue, where the product was co-packed for the brand owner, and it was the co-packer's powder milk supplier.


https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/ghirardelli-chocolate-company-recalls-powdered-beverage-mixes-because-possible-health-risk
Ghirardelli Chocolate Company Recalls Powdered Beverage Mixes Because of Possible Health Risk
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  April 27, 2026
FDA Publish Date:  April 28, 2026
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Potential Foodborne Illness - Salmonella
Company Name:  Ghirardelli Chocolate Company
Brand Name:  Ghirardelli
Product Description:  Powdered beverage mixes

NY Firm Recalls Chocolate Product for Undeclared Allergens Due to Improper Listing on Label

We R Nuts of Port Washington, New York is recalling 254 Uncle Giuseppe’s branded 11oz containers of milk chocolate bridge mix, because it may contain undeclared Milk, Soy and Cashews.  The recall was initiated after a discrepancy in the label’s ingredient list was discovered during an inspection of the facility’s products. Once We R Nuts Management was made aware of the allergens missing from our ingredient label, we started a formal recall.

Comment:   This is a label design issue that did not specifically state milk (although it was milk chocolate, soy (that was listed as lecithin), and cashews. 




https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/we-r-nuts-issues-allergy-alert-undeclared-milk-soy-cashews-milk-chocolate-bridge-mix
We R Nuts, Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Milk, Soy & Cashews in Milk Chocolate Bridge Mix
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  April 24, 2026
FDA Publish Date:  April 27, 2026
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  May contain undeclared milk, soy, and cashews
Company Name:  We R Nuts, LLC.
Brand Name:  Uncle Giuseppe’s
Product Description:  Chocolate covered nuts and raisins

FDA Cites CA Seafood Processor for Listeria Issues in RTE Processing Facilities

FDA inspected four seafood processing facilities of the Ocean Group of California. These facilities process RTE salmon and tuna.  This product is sold for use by sushi restaurants. 

This is a very lengthy report, but to summarize, the facilities have Listeria issues.  This was determined through environmental sampling.  There are also poor practices relating to Listeria control.   A bit scary when you think about the type of product being produced.

https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/ocean-group-inc-715467-03032026
Warning Letter
Ocean Group Inc.
MARCS-CMS 715467 — March 03, 2026
Warning Letters

FDA Issues Warning Letter to Arkansas Warehouse for Rodents and Filth

FDA issued a Warning Letter to JZ Wholesale, Fort Smith, AR, for a high amount of excessive rodent activity and overall filth.  

One example of an evaluation from a case of product is enough to give you an idea...."REPs (AKA rodent poop), gnawing, and apparent rodent grease trails on cases of Slime Licker strawberry sour-filled milk chocolate candy bars,"

While there is plenty of rodent and roach items, they had pest chemicals, unfortunately they were not where they should be.   Here are two examples of poor chemical storage practices:

• "In Room (b)(4) there was a case of Zevo Pest Spray stored directly on top of a pallet of Slime Licker Chocolate Candy Bars in aisle (b)(4).:
• "In the Seasonal Room, you stored cases of antifreeze and insect spray directly next to Kellogg’s Elf on the Shelf Sugar Cookies."

https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/jz-wholesale-inc-724047-03092026
WARNING LETTER
JZ Wholesale, Inc.
MARCS-CMS 724047 — March 09, 2026

FDA Issued a Warning Letter to a Oregon Farm Packing House Under the Produce Safety Regulations

FDA issued a Warning Letter to a farm packing house under the Produce Safety regulations.

The issues involve lack of pest control (birds and bird poop in the onion packing area), inadequate cleaning and the lack of a employee who has taken Produce Safety training.

1. "FDA investigators observed bird feces, too numerous to count, throughout your onion packing shed, including on the wooden rafters directly above the packing line and on (b)(4) box fans mounted in the walls on the (b)(4) side of the onion packing shed. These box fans lacked protective coverings, allowing for pest (e.g., bird) entry when the fans are not operating."
2. "FDA investigators observed accumulated bird feces on (1) grating on the in-line top-tailer machine, directly above where onions were being topped and de-rooted; (2) a light fixture directly over two packing lines where onions were being sorted; and (3) a hand rail on the (b)(4) wall used by employees walking on stairs and elevated platforms along the packing line.
3. FDA investigators observed numerous bird feces on food contact surfaces, including two conveyor belts on your onion pallet line and the (b)(4) onion bagging line elevator conveyor. Onions were observed contacting these areas while being packed."
4. "FDA investigators observed soiled carpeting being used on your (b)(4) onion bagging line and making direct contact with onions as they moved through the line. Additionally, FDA investigators observed onions making contact with (1) fraying duct tape on a pole at the end of the palleting line, and  2) frayed, knotted bundles of braided rope on your (b)(4) packing line."
5. The company "did not employ at least one supervisor or responsible party that has successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by FDA, as required by 21 CFR 112.22(c)."
6. "The company "confirmed records have not been established and maintained to document the cleaning and sanitizing of food contact surfaces for equipment used in the harvesting and packing of ready-to-eat onions, including your onion packing line, “(b)(4) Machine,” onion harvester machine, 3 dump trailer trucks used for onion transport, and your “(b)(4) Equipment” used to transfer onions from the dump trailers to wooden bins for storage."

https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/schlechter-farms-inc-722153-03182026
Schlechter Farms Inc.
MARCS-CMS 722153 — March 18, 2026

FDA Issues a Warning Letter to a Maryland Nut Processor

FDA issued a Warning Letter to Barcelona Nut Company Inc, .Baltimore, MD, a ready-to-eat (RTE) foods manufacturing and repacking facility for nuts, seeds, candies and trail mixes.  FDA issued the Warning Letter after receiving the company's response to items listed on the investigation report.  This included issues with allergen control with roasting oil, insufficient critical limit for roasting nuts, issues with pest control, poor cleanout when conducting product changeovers, potential cross contamination potential associated with a very old facility, and 

1) Issues with roaster oil used for different nuts with insufficient controls for allergens.

• The "facility operates a (b)(4) oil roaster, which is used to roast products with different allergen profiles, including cashews, peanuts, almonds, and sunflower kernels in the same oil."
• The "written response shows your revised hazard analysis now includes allergen cross-contact as a hazard with the control measure, “(b)(4)” and a revised roasting log with the instruction to “(b)(4).” However, filtration using a (b)(4) inch ((b)(4) μm) pore-size wire cloth would not sufficiently remove peanut or tree nut proteins that may be present in the roasting oil. Roasting even small quantities of peanuts or cashews in oil can result in significant protein transfer to the oil, and the amount of protein transferred increases with the number of batches processed. Given that your facility processes up to (b)(4) lbs. of product in the same oil before replacement, substantial amounts of allergen proteins could accumulate in the oil over multiple production runs. Therefore, your proposed corrective action would not significantly reduce the risk of allergen cross-contact. More effective control measures, such as oil replacement between different allergen products or the use of filtration treatments that have been demonstrated to remove allergen proteins1 would be necessary to adequately address this hazard."

2) The critical limit for roasting nuts was not sufficient.

• The "CCP Monitoring and Frequency revised March 13, 2019, for the roasting of peanuts shows the critical limits “(b)(4)” with “(b)(4)”, which is not sufficient for the reduction of Salmonella on peanuts. Your July 3, 2025, written response shows that your revised CCP Monitoring and Frequency dated July 3, 2025, included roasting times of a minimum of (b)(4) minutes and a maximum of (b)(4) minutes, and temperatures of “(b)(4)” Fahrenheit; however, these parameters still do not ensure an adequate lethality treatment for the reduction of Salmonella. You did not provide any validation data for your roasting process or scientific justification demonstrating that your process parameters are adequate to ensure a safe product."

3) Issues with pest control.

• The company "did not take effective measures to exclude pests from your facility to protect against contamination of food, as required by 21 CFR 117.35(c). Specifically, FDA Investigators observed a dead rodent, insects, and apparent rodent excreta pellets (REPs) too numerous to count (TNTC) on food-contact surfaces, equipment, and food production areas."

4) Poor cleanout of the lines when changing products.

• The company "package products with different allergen profiles on the same packaging machine and after cleaning was confirmed as completed on the Tron packaging line prior to changing from cashews to chocolate products on June 18, 2025, cashew residues remained in the hopper and on the flexible tube that delivers product to the packaging film."

5) Issues with old facility that could lead to cross contamination.

• "FDA investigators observed food containers being opened with in-process product outside the area protected by overhead canopy shields, prior to filling the hopper. Additionally, floors were not constructed in a manner that they are adequately cleanable and kept in good repair, as required by 21 CFR 117.20(b)(4). On the second floor, the wooden floors were observed to have holes and to be heavily splintered, preventing adequate cleaning and creating potential sources of contamination."

6 Employee hygiene issues.

• "Employees working in direct contact with food, food-contact surfaces, and food-packaging materials did not conform to hygienic practices while on duty to the extent necessary to protect against allergen cross-contact and against contamination of food. Specifically, the following employee practices were observed:
• On June 18, 2025, an employee with a beard was observed not wearing a beard net while filling hoppers with in-shell peanuts.
• On June 11, 2025, two employees were observed wearing necklace in the production area while your facility was packaging unsalted cashews."

FDA Warning Letter
https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/barcelona-nut-company-inc-721619-03032026

WARNING LETTER
Barcelona Nut Company Inc.
MARCS-CMS 721619 — March 03, 2026

North Carolina Firm Recalls Chocolates Products Due to Error in Tasting Notes

French Broad Chocolates PBC, Asheville, NC, is recalling Bette’s Bake Sale Bonbon Collection in 6pc, 12pc, and 24pc boxes with batch numbers 260414 and 260417 due to the potential to contain undeclared walnuts.   On April 20, 2026, the firm was notified by a French Broad Chocolates team member that there was a labeling error on our tasting notes insert that failed to name a tree nut allergen (walnuts).  The Walnut Fudge bonbon, which contains walnuts, is incorrectly identified in the printed tasting notes included with the product. The Walnut Fudge and Peach Cobbler bonbons are switched in the guide, which means a consumer relying on the printed materials could mistakenly consume a nut-containing piece.

Comment - The issue is that the tasting notes (the map for helping you determine which chocolate to eat first and avoid the less tasty ones*) was designed incorrectly, so the product containing walnuts could be mistaken for one not containing walnuts, the peach cobbler.   My guess is that someone with nut allergens is not buying a box of mixed chocolates anyway since it is likely that some small amount of allergen may be on the others.

*I would have been upset to get the peach cobbler instead of the walnut.   Many of you probably play chocolate roulette where you and others take turns choosing without the guide, seeing who gets the best chocolate.


https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/french-broad-chocolates-pbc-recalls-bettes-bake-sale-bonbons-due-undeclared-walnuts
French Broad Chocolates PBC Recalls Bette’s Bake Sale Bonbons Due to Undeclared Walnuts
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  April 23, 2026
FDA Publish Date:  April 24, 2026
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Undeclared Tree Nuts
Company Name:  French Broad Chocolate Factory
Brand Name:  French Broad Chocolate
Product Description:  Bette's Bake Sale Bonbon Collection in 6pc (2.5oz), 12pc (5oz), and 24pc (10oz) boxes

Michigan Firm Recalls Trail Mix for Undeclared Allergens Due to Packing Error

Ferris Coffee & Nut Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan is recalling a single lot of Frederik’s by Meijer Vanilla Bourbon Trail Mix 9 oz. because it may contain undeclared wheat and soy.  The recall was initiated after it was discovered that the wheat and soy-containing chocolate-covered pretzel balls were distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of wheat or soy, instead of the listed bourbon-flavored caramels. Subsequent investigation indicates the problem was caused by a temporary breakdown in the production and packaging processes at Ferris Coffee & Nut Co.

Comment:  This appears to be a mispacking issue where pretzel balls were packed/labeled with a different product.  This type of situation can be a problem for confectioners who are handling many different products with different allergen profiles.  An Allergen Preventive Control should be developed that has a higher level of verification for ensuring the product and the package are correct.


https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/ferris-coffee-nut-co-issues-allergy-alert-undeclared-wheat-and-soy-frederiks-meijer-vanilla-bourbon
Ferris Coffee & Nut Co. Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Wheat and Soy in Frederik’s By Meijer Vanilla Bourbon Trail Mix
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  April 23, 2026
FDA Publish Date:  April 23, 2026
Product Type:  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Undeclared Wheat & Soy
Company Name:  Ferris Coffee & Nut Co.
Brand Name:  Frederik’s by Meijer
Product Description:  Vanilla Bourbon Trail Mix

IA Firm Recalls Canine Milk Replacement Due to Inconsistent Vitamin D Levels

Revival Animal Health of Orange City, IA is recalling Breeder’s Edge® Foster Care® Canine and Shelter’s Choice® Canine Milk Replacers due to variable levels of Vitamin D resulting in both low and elevated levels in some of the canine milk replacers.  The recall was initiated after an investigation determined that the product had variable levels of Vitamin D, resulting in both low and elevated levels in some of the canine milk replacer.  Two complaints of rickets have been reported to date.

Comment - There continues to be a number of dog food items recalled because of issues related to Vitamin D addition.  This addition needs to be managed as a Process Preventive Control.


https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/revival-animal-health-llc-voluntarily-recalls-canine-milk-replacers-due-elevated-levels-vitamin-d
Revival Animal Health, LLC Voluntarily Recalls Canine Milk Replacers Due to Elevated Levels of Vitamin D
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  April 17, 2026
FDA Publish Date:  April 17, 2026
Product Type:  Animal & Veterinary  Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement:  Variable levels of Vitamin D
Company Name:  Revival Animal Health
Brand Name:  Breeder’s Edge, Shelter’s Choice
Product Description:  Canine milk replacer

CA Ice Cream Company Recalls Retail Packages Due to Absence of Allergen Labels

Silver Moon, LP dba Loard’s Ice Cream of San Leandro, CA is voluntarily recalling all products sold in retail-sized packaging because they were distributed without ingredient labeling and therefore they contain undeclared allergens, sulfites, and added colors.  The recall was initiated after it was determined during FDA inspection that the product’s retail packaging did not include the required ingredient statement and allergen declarations.

Comment - This company has been in ice cream business since the 50's, so hard to imagine how they missed allergen labeling or ingredient listing on their retail cartons.  The company had approximately 40 different items, all with no allergen declarations.


https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/silver-moon-lp-dba-loards-ice-cream-issues-allergy-alert-undeclared-milk-eggs-tree-nuts-peanuts-soy
Silver Moon LP DBA Loard’s Ice Cream Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Milk, Eggs, Tree Nuts, Peanuts, Soy, Wheat, Sulfites, and Food Color Additives in Ice Cream Products
Summary

Company Announcement Date:  April 16, 2026

FDA Publish Date:  April 16, 2026
Product Type:  Food & Beverages Ice Cream/Frozen Dairy
Reason for Announcement:  Undeclared Milk, Eggs, Tree Nuts, Peanuts, Soy, Sulfites, and Colors
Company Name:  Silver Moon LP dba Loard’s Ice Cream
Brand Name:  Loard’s
Product Description:  Ice Cream