Reese’s Pieces Snack Recalled

A snack manufacturer in Madison Heights, Missouri is recalling certain packages of Reese’s Pieces which are advertised as gluten-free, but do in fact contain undeclared wheat. On Thursday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a recall of Second Nature Brands’ four-ounce packages of “Gluten Free Reese’s Pieces Brownie Brittle.” Gluten allergies and wheat sensitivities can be serious, and in this case, one customer has already fallen ill.

This product was distributed nationwide, so the FDA is urging customers around the U.S. to check their cabinets and dispose of the snacks safely. Since the product is not labeled appropriately, even those without gluten intolerance run a risk by keeping it in a house where visitors may eat it by mistake. The product is also identifiable by the brand name “Sheila G’s,” and the recall applies to the lot codes SG 1054 15/NOV/2023 1S and SG 1054 15/NOV/2023 2S. These will be printed on the back of the pouch.

The recall was reportedly spurred by one illness reported to the FDA, but details on that case are not available. The FDA found that these batches of the snack contained wheat in spite of the packaging specifically stating that it is “gluten-free.” So far, investigators believe this was simply caused by cross-contamination at a co-manufacturer at some point in the process.

These particular snacks may be hard to find after the recalled products are removed. Production on future batches has reportedly been suspended while the FDA investigates the source of the cross-contamination in the process. The agency will need to determine with certainty that the problem has been addressed before allowing more gluten-free Reese’s Pieces to be distributed.

Retailers have been contacted and asked to remove these products from their shelves, but of course, consumers with extreme gluten intolerance should consider checking the lot codes before making a purchase. The UPC code on this product is 711747011562. As for customers who bought it before the recall, the FDA is trying to spread the word far and wide before more illnesses spread.

Customers with more questions can contact the manufacturer at recall@browniebrittle.com, or by phone at (800) 651-7263. Second Nature Brands is cooperating with the FDA and have not added any additional comments on this recall.