Multiple chocolate and cookie products were recalled during the Christmas holiday season due to undeclared allergens.
The Gregory’s Foods recall is applicable to “Bag Full of Cookies” with a Dec. 6, 2026, best-by date. The items were sold via retail grocery stores and distribution centers in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Nebraska.
“The recall was initiated after it was discovered that the peanut-containing product was distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of peanuts. The error was isolated to certain units in one day’s production and has been corrected,” according to the company.
“People who have allergies to peanuts run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.”
Atwater’s recall was initiated because the cookies contained pecans, almonds, and walnuts but did not disclose their presence on product labeling, according to the company. People with sensitivity to these nuts may be at risk of an allergic reaction.
The affected products were distributed to customers via retail stores in Maryland between Dec. 13 and 22. They were also gifted to three wholesalers, the company said. In Maryland, the products were sold in Baltimore, Towson, and Catonsville.
An investigation into the incident found that the problem was caused by a temporary breakdown in Atwater’s labeling process.
As for Almond Despair chocolate bars, the labels incorrectly claim the presence of macadamia nuts and fail to declare almonds, Willy Pete’s Chocolate Company said. People sensitive to almonds may experience allergic reactions if they consume the product.
The items were sold through the Curioporium store in Southington, Connecticut; Puckerbutt Pepper Co. outlet in Fort Mill, South Carolina; and Army Barracks store in Saugus, Massachusetts, according to the company.
Thus far, no illnesses have been reported linked to the consumption of the items involved in the three recalls.
Allergy Symptoms
In the United States, nine food ingredients are recognized as major allergens: milk, eggs, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame, according to a post by the FDA.Pecans, walnuts, and almonds are considered tree nuts. All nine food allergens in a food product must be listed on its label.
“If you are allergic to a food you have eaten, you may experience a variety of symptoms. These symptoms are not always present or the same for every person or reaction and can vary depending on a number of actors, including the amount of food allergen eaten,” FDA said.
“If you are allergic to a food that you have eaten, symptoms may appear from within a few minutes to a few hours.”
Symptoms include hives, rashes, abdominal cramps, swelling of the lips or tongue, vomiting, coughing or wheezing, swelling of the throat, and difficulty breathing.
In some cases, people may suffer from anaphylaxis—a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction. This can result in constriction of airways in the lungs, severe lowering of blood pressure and shock, and suffocation due to swelling of the throat and larynx, the FDA warned.
“Peanut allergy is usually lifelong: only about 20 percent of children with peanut allergy outgrow it over time,” it said.
“Approximately 50 percent of children that are allergic to one tree nut are allergic to another tree nut,” it said.
“Approximately two-thirds of patients reactive to cashew or walnut will react to pistachio or pecan, respectively. Most children who are allergic to one or more tree nuts do not outgrow their tree nut allergy.”
