For Those With Nut Allergies: Morningstar Farms Recall

MorningStar Farms has issued a “voluntary, precautionary” recall of two varieties of bean burgers because there may be peanuts in certain lots of them which are not noted in the products’ ingredient statements, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced.

The varieties are “Spicy Black Bean” and “Chipotle Black Bean.”

No illnesses have been reported to the FDA as of Friday, the federal agency said.

“This product is safe to consume for individuals who do not suffer from a peanut allergy,” Stop & Shop supermarkets said in a news release.

But the news release also said:

“People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to peanuts may run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product. Symptoms of food allergies typically appear from within a few minutes to two hours after a person has eaten the food to which he or she is allergic. Allergic reactions can include: hives; flushed skin or rash; tingling or itchy sensation in the mouth; face, tongue, or lip swelling; vomiting and/or diarrhea; abdominal cramps; coughing or wheezing; dizziness and/or lightheadedness; swelling of the throat and vocal cords; difficulty breathing; loss of consciousness.”

Some of the MorningStar Farms products were sold to food-service providers in addition to retail stores, so consumers who may eat the bean burgers may not know whether the product was from MorningStar farms, much less that it was the subject of a recall.

Here’s the FDA’s announcement, released Friday:

MorningStar Farms is issuing a voluntary and precautionary recall of certain code dates of Spicy Black Bean Burgers and Chipotle Black Bean Burgers because they may contain undeclared peanut.

MorningStar Farms was notified by a third party supplier that one of the spice ingredients used in Spicy Black Bean Burgers and Chipotle Black Bean Burgers may inadvertently contain peanut, an allergen that is not declared on the products’ ingredient statements. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to peanuts run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.