'Harmful': Brownie Recall Shared by FDA

An issue at "the packing and labeling stage" resulted in the presence of undeclared peanuts in the brownie assortment boxes.

By Allison Schonter

Health officials are urging consumers to be extra cautious before they give into their sweet tooth after Big Island Candies issued a voluntary recall of their Makana Brownie Assortment Box. The brownies were recalled on Jan. 16 after a consumer suffered an adverse reaction, resulting in the discovery that the brownies contain undeclared peanuts, making them potentially life-threatening.

The recall only affects batch 60 of Makana Brownie Assortment Box, which were sold at Big Island Candies' Ala Moana Store located at 1450 Ala Moana Blvd., in Honolulu, Hawaii between December 13, 2023 – December 21, 2023, per a notice shared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The brownies were sold in a 10-ounce box containing Milk Chocolate Covered Macadamia Nut Brownies. Affected products have batch code RFFIC 326760.

Per the FDA, the company issued the voluntary recall after receiving information from a consumer who had an adverse reaction. A subsequent investigation discovered that "a portion of the box may contain Milk Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Brownies instead of Milk Chocolate Covered Macadamia Nut Brownies," a problem that was "caused at the packing and labeling stage and was limited to batch 60 of this item." The label on the product does not list peanuts as a key ingredient, meaning the brownies pose a significant health risk to those with a peanut allergy which is one of the most common causes of severe allergy attacks, according to the Mayo Clinic.

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Signs and symptoms of a peanut allergy usually occur within minutes after exposure and can include skin reactions, itching or tingling in or around the mouth and throat, digestive problems, tightening of the throat, shortness of breath or wheezing, and a runny nose. Peanut allergy is also the most common cause of food-induced anaphylaxis, the most common cause of food-induced anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction that narrows the airways and can block breathing.

While there have been no other incidents reported to date, consumers who purchased the recalled Makana Brownie Assortment Box or received it as a gift have been urged not to consume the brownies. The product should instead be returned to one of Big Island Candies' stores either for a full refund or replacement. In a statement, the company said, "Big Island Candies would like to sincerely apologize to its loyal customers for this very unfortunate situation and any inconvenience this may cause."

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