The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning of a potentially deadly allergic reaction following the expansion of an ice cream recall that was initiated due to an undeclared ingredient.
A notice shared to the FDA website on Tuesday informs consumers that Wisconsin-based Babcock Dairy was voluntarily expanding its recall of “Orange Custard Chocolate Chip ice cream that may be labeled as Chocolate Peanut Butter.”
“During production, a limited number of Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream containers were inadvertently filled with Orange Custard Chocolate Chip ice cream, leading to products with incorrect allergen labeling,” the notice explains.
The Orange Custard Chocolate Chip product contains eggs, while the Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream does not. As the mislabeling issue resulted in the custard being placed in the regular ice cream containers, those with egg allergies could be at risk of unwittingly consuming their allergen.
“People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to eggs run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products,” reads the notice. “If you purchased one of the affected products … please return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.”
Tuesday’s expanded recall applies to Babcock Dairy Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream and Babcock Dairy Orange Custard Chocolate Chip ice cream with the following production dates listed on the bottom of containers: “09 1724” (September 17, 2024) or “09 3024” (September 30, 2024).
The recalled products were distributed only to the following retail stores in the Madison, Wisconsin, area: Babcock Dairy Store, Metcalfe’s Markets, Ken’s Meats & Deli and Capitol Centre Market.
The initial recall was triggered after a consumer informed the company of the mislabeling issue on November 4 and only involved goods produced on September 17. The second batch was recalled when the same issue was discovered on October 18.
No illnesses associated with the recall had been reported as of Tuesday. All of the remaining recalled products were also removed from the retail outlets “within hours” of discovering the issue.
Babcock Dairy said that it was “taking immediate corrective steps, including the retraining of employees on proper labeling procedures” to prevent the issue from reoccurring.
Newsweek reached out for comment to the Babcock Dairy plant via email on Tuesday night.
While the presence of eggs may be of little concern for most consumers, those with a related allergy could be stricken with the sometimes fatal condition of anaphylaxis—which requires prompt medical attention due to symptoms that include throat swelling, difficulty breathing, a sudden drop in blood pressure and loss of consciousness.
Other symptoms of a serious allergic reaction can include rashes, hives, itching, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramping.
Eggs are considered among the nine “major food allergens” by the FDA. The other major allergens are tree nuts, milk, fish, shellfish, peanuts, wheat, sesame and soybeans.
About 6 percent of U.S. adults and 8 percent of children have at least one food allergy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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