What You Need To Know About The Albertsons And Roths Dark Chocolate Almond Recall
The production of ready-to-eat food products is a regulated industry in the United States but it wasn't always that way. While there were some early attempts at establishing standards for companies that sold food in the 19th century (per Tresquire), it was the 1906 Upton Sinclair book "The Jungle" that changed everything according to Brittanica. Brittanica says Sinclair's book detailed the horrid and unsanitary conditions in the slaughterhouses of Chicago at the time and was enormously popular.
As a response to public outrage, Congress passed the first federal law providing national regulation of food production in 1906 as well (per Brittanica). Levin Law explains part of that law was the establishment of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Over the decades since, the FDA has taken on a significant role in establishing food safety standards, like the real reason there's an absorbent pad in meat packages. That same agency has now issued a notice about dark chocolate almonds sold at two U.S. grocers.
The label doesn't tell all in this instance
A September 28 notice from the Food and Drug Administration alerts shoppers at Albertsons, Roths Fresh Market, and Safeway to an ingredient that could be in dark chocolate almonds you might have purchased. As the FDA notes, it's of special relevance for anyone who has a sensitivity to dairy.
The FDA says that the manufacturer of these chocolate-covered almonds, Momyer Distribution Inc., has recalled the product because it could contain milk and the product label does not list milk among the ingredients. To identify the affected products, Albertsons/Safeway shoppers should look for a large red "PRODUCE" on the package and a Best By Date no later than 10/15/2023. For Roths customers, the package is labeled as Holly Hill Gourmet Snacks Dark Chocolate Almonds and bears a Best By Date of 10/21/2023 or prior. The FDA stresses that anyone with an allergy or sensitivity to dairy should not eat these almonds, as they may be contaminated with milk.
While these almonds might not be among the foods that were recalled for the scariest reasons, there's no reason to risk it if you have an issue with dairy and these almonds in your home. The Mayo Clinic says that people with allergies to dairy products can suffer many serious symptoms, including anaphylaxis and vomiting if they consume even small amounts of milk. This is an example of the very reason the federal government started regulating food products in the early 20th century.