Updated 7/10/16
Last month, Kids With Food Allergies was the first to alert you about peanut contamination in flour used in baked goods. The affected flour led to several product recalls.
Now, the FDA is looking into that incident, which led to at least two allergic reactions in children with peanut allergies.
The company named in the advisory, Grain Craft, recalled its flour. Grain Craft sells to the baking and food service industries and not to consumers. It says it is the largest independent flour miller in the U.S.
Grain Craft said agricultural cross-contact caused the contamination. It said the affected wheat is grown in a peanut-producing region of the South. On its website this week, Grain Craft said it does not sell to restaurants.
The FDA advisory tells people with peanut allergies to continue avoiding the affected products we told you about last month, in addition to any new products added to this list. The FDA said it is looking into the origin and extent of what it called "low levels" of peanut residue in the flour.
The FDA is checking to see if more recalls are needed and will update its list as necessary. The recalls linked to Grain Craft are:
- Cinnabon Stix
- Safeway 8" Single Layer Red Velvet Cake
- ACME 12” Decorated Chocolate Chip Cookie
- Jewel 12” Decorated Chocolate Chip Cookie
- Chick-fil-A Chocolate Chunk Cookies
- Hostess Snack Cakes and Donuts
- Rold Gold Select Varieties of Pretzels
- Kellogg Company Various Products (Keebler, Famous Amos, Mother's, Murray, Special K)
- Mars Chocolate North America Various Combos Products
- Armour Snackmakers Keebler Animal Crackers
- Gardner Pie Company Cheesecakes and Key Lime Pies
- Tippin's Gourmet Pies Key Lime Pie
- Spartan Fresh Selections Cheesecakes
- Snyder's-Lance Oyster Crackers
- Honey Maid Teddy Grahams Cinnamon Cubs (foodservice channels only)
- The Father's Table Cheesecakes sold by Gordon Food Service
- Kroger Deluxe S'mores Ice Cream
The FDA said it will continue to check to see if other companies may be using this flour.
In addition to the above list, KFA reported additional recalls of baked goods with traces of peanut flour. A baking supply company called CSM Bakery Solutions initiated several recalls. At the time, the supplier was not named.
KFA will continue to update these recalls as we receive them.
The FDA said it is "prohibited by law from releasing publicly certain information about supply chains, such as the names of customers, if it constitutes confidential commercial information."
What Happened?
- On April 26, Grain Craft told the FDA that “sampling by a customer” found peanut residue in cookies.
- Grain Craft confirmed the residue with its own testing.
- The FDA performed its own analysis, confirming the problem.
- Grain Craft traced the affected flour to wheat grown in agricultural areas that also grow peanuts.
- Grain Craft stopped making and distributing the affected flour on April 30.
- FDA analysis performed later did not “show the presence of peanut protein.”
During this investigation, FDA learned of two incidents related to Grain Craft flour. Both complaints involved children with peanut allergies who suffered immediate allergic reactions after eating "donut products." At first, the products were not named. A few days later, Hostess reported two allergic reactions in its recall notice of donuts.
Concern about possible allergic reactions led Dr. Cary Sennett, President and CEO of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), to highlight this issue last month.
“We urge everyone to spread the news about this FDA advisory, as well as any additional recalls, within the food allergy community so that we can prevent future reactions arising from this situation,” he reiterated.
For more information about peanut allergies and anaphylaxis:
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