Misbranding, Allergen Risk Prompts Recall of Over 2 Million Pounds of Frozen Food

First it was millions of pounds of ground beef tainted with E. coli. Then it was Tyson chicken strips contaminated with metal remnants. And now the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that more than 2 million pounds of frozen entrees have been recalled due to misbranding resulting in an undeclared allergen. The entrees in question include P.F. Chang’s Home Menu Chicken Pad Thai and Chicken Fried Rice. According to the USDA, the products may contain a known allergen—milk—but the company did not declare the potential for the allergen on the products’ labeling.

The affected products in the recall, says the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, are “frozen, heat-treated, not fully cooked and not shelf stable.” The entrees included were produced from Oct. 1, 2018 through Apr. 11, 2019. The “Best By” dates on the packages include dates from Sept. 26, 2019 through Apr. 5, 2020. Conagra Brands, Inc., the maker of the products in the recall, found the misbranding problem during a routine label verification check.

For people with milk allergies, these products pose a significant exposure risk. And the sad fact is that misbranding and mislabeling happens all the time, and often in the absence of a recall. If you or someone you love has been injured due to the negligence of a product’s manufacturer, you have a right to collect damages. Contact Simpson Law Group and our San Diego product liability attorney right away to discuss your case.

No confirmed reports of any adverse reactions stemming from the consumption of the recalled products has been reported, notes the USDA. Still, health officials are urging consumers who have purchased these items or have them in their freezers to return them to the point of sale or discard them.

Milk Allergy: A Serious Concern

Food allergies can be quite serious, and milk is one of the eight most common among them. According to Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), around 32 million Americans, including 5.6 million children age 18 and under, have food allergies. More than 200,000 people need emergency medical care for food allergy reactions each year. Milk allergy symptoms can occur within minutes or up to a few hours after exposure to milk. Hives, wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, and vomiting are common. Other symptoms include swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, and a tingling or itching feeling around the mouth and lips. The most serious reaction to consuming milk among those who are allergic to it is anaphylaxis, which is a life-threatening constriction of the airways that can result in the person being unable to breathe, notes Mayo Clinic. Among food allergies, milk is the third-leading allergen that can cause anaphylaxis, right behind peanuts and tree nuts.

Injured by a Recalled Product?

Consumers have the right to be unharmed by the consumption of food that they buy or the products they use. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Contact the Simpson Law Group to speak with our San Diego product liability attorney right away if you have been harmed by dangerous or faulty product. Set up your free consultation and case review by clicking here or dialing 619-236-9696.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/05/health/conagra-frozen-entrees-recall/index.html

https://www.foodallergy.org/common-allergens/milk-allergy

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/milk-allergy/symptoms-causes/syc-20375101