This Concerning Yogurt Recall Should Make Sure You Triple-Check Your Fridge

Before you pull out that next yogurt from your refrigerator for a snack, you might want to double-check the label, especially if it is Greek yogurt. Earlier this month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a recall warning about Ellenos Real Greek Yogurt, noting that some packages of the Mango Greek Yogurt flavor did not specify that it includes egg as an ingredient. This is potentially dangerous for those with an egg allergy.

Ellenos, which is based in Washington, issued a recall of its Mango Greek Yogurty 16 oz. cups on Nov. 10 because it may contain undeclared egg ingredients, the FDA said. The affected cups were distributed in Washington and Oregon in select stores. The cups have the UPC 8 57290 00612 6 and a “best before” date of Nov. 28, 2021, printed on the blue foil seal. No other Ellenos product was affected by the recall. The Mango Greek Yogurt product is packaged in a clear plastic container with blue lettering on the front panel.

Although no illnesses or deaths have been reported due to the mistake, the recall began after some 16 oz. cups had dark brown puree instead of bright yellow mango puree. After an internal investigation, Ellenos discovered that some Mango yogurt cups were accidentally used for pumpkin yogurt. The Mango cups do not list egg as an ingredient.

“We learned today of the mislabeling and immediately contacted the FDA, our distributors, and retail partners of the mislabel and to notify of an immediate recall of 16oz Mango,” Ellenos CEO John Tucker said in a statement published by the FDA. “We take the health and safety of our consumers incredibly seriously and wanted to remove mislabeled product from the market as soon as possible.”

Consumers who have an egg allergy or are sensitive to eggs should not consume the yogurt. Instead, they should dispose of it or return the yogurt to the store they bought it from for a full refund. Consumers can also call Ellenos at 206-535-7562 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. PST, Monday through Friday.

Egg allergies are common among children, according to the Mayo Clinic. Symptoms can sometimes appear in minutes after eating food with egg ingredients. Some of the symptoms include skin rashes, nasal congestion, hives, and vomiting. Egg allergies can rarely cause life-threatening anaphylaxis. Many children outgrow their allergies, but some do not.

This isn’t the first major yogurt recall in the Pacific Northwest this year. In May, Washington State Department of Health officials tied an outbreak of E. coli to a PCC Community Markets yogurt made by Pure Eire Dairy, reports the Seattle Times. The company said it was voluntarily recalling all of its yogurt products and stopped yogurt production. In July, Pure Eire Dairy’s owners announced they closed down the dairy to focus on their family.