Chocolate almonds recall elevated to higher risk level due undeclared allergen

A recall of dark chocolate almonds has been upgraded with a higher risk level, due to a potential contamination with an undeclared allergen.

In June, grocery chain Meijer recalled packages of Frederik’s Dark Chocolate Almonds because they may also contain dark chocolate cashews. Those types of nuts were not declared on the packaging, however, so those with a cashew allergy run the risk of experiencing a life-threatening reaction if they consume the product.

On Thursday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) elevated the recall to a Class II, the second-highest risk level. A Class II recall is “a situation in which use of or exposure to a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote,” according to the FDA.

Two different packages of Frederik’s Dark Chocolate Almonds were affected by the recall: The black stand-up pouches, with a sell-by date of 05/07/2026 or 05/28/2026, and the 8-count, 1.5-ounce multi-pack boxes with a sell-by date of 05/05/2026.

The recalled almonds were sold at Meijer stores in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, and Wisconsin.

No illnesses have been reported due to the product, but customers have still been urged to return any purchased packed to Meijer to claim a full refund.

Many food products in the U.S. have been recently recalled due to other contamination concerns. For example, Kraft Heinz Foods Company recalled 367,812 pounds of its fully cooked turkey bacon offerings, according to a notice shared by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service on Wednesday.

The recall was issued after the food company discovered during laboratory testing that the products “may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes,” a disease-causing bacteria.

As noted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), listeria is a “bacteria that can contaminate many foods.” Although symptoms can vary, a listeria infection “can cause invasive illness and intestinal illness.” Listeria infection is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the United States, killing roughly 260 people per year.

Last month, Alma Pak International LLC voluntarily recalled 400 boxes, weighing 30 pounds each, of its organic blueberries because they tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. On Tuesday, the FDA elevated the blueberry recall to a Class I, the highest risk level. A Class I recall is “a situation 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,” per FDA.

The last two years have seen an alarming and unexplained rise in recalls. In 2024, approximately 300 food recalls were issued, with those recalls being linked to nearly 1,400 illnesses, a Public Interest Research Group report revealed.

Out of the 1,400 illnesses, 487 people became sick enough to require hospitalization, and 19 people died. While those numbers are still low when weighed against the entire U.S. population, they are also double the number of hospitalizations and deaths from foodborne illnesses in 2023.