A recall has been issued for mislabeled cake slices that may have been sold in eight states over concerns about triggering a sometimes deadly allergic reaction.
Supermarket chain Wegmans announced in a notice posted online Tuesday that "Kalo Gluten Free Carrot Cake Slices" were being recalled due to the product being mislabeled as "Gluten Free Chocolate Cake," which contains the undeclared soy.
Wegmans operates in over 100 locations in the following states: Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia. One store is also in the District of Columbia.
The affected products are labeled "Kalo GF Chocolate Cake Slice" and include a UPC reading "8-53407-00418-4." The company asked consumers who purchased the slices to return them to their local "customer service desk for a full refund."
Customers with further questions can contact Wegmans over the phone at 1-855-934-3663 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday or from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
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It was unclear if any adverse reactions had occurred due to the mislabeling at the time of publication. It was unclear when the cake was sold and whether they were available in all Wegmans stores.
Newsweek reached out for comment to Wegmans via email on Wednesday night.
While an unexpected ingredient like soy may be of little concern for many consumers, the consequences for those suffering from a related allergy could be deadly, due to the potential for triggering the condition anaphylaxis.
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Earlier this year, a recall was issued for Florentine cookies sold by the Connecticut-based supermarket chain Stew Leonard's following the death of 25-year-old dancer Órla Baxendale, who experienced fatal anaphylactic shock after eating the cookies without realizing that they contained undeclared peanuts.
"This is a heartbreaking tragedy that should never have happened," Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli said in a statement at the time. "Our condolences go out to the family affected by this incident."
While deadly reactions are rare, concerns about mislabeled food products containing undeclared allergens are a relatively common reason that companies choose to initiate recalls. In addition to the Wegmans recall, several other packaged cake products have been recalled this year due to mislabeling.
Last month, Wegmans recalled ice cream cakes over concerns about contamination with listeria, or Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria that kills hundreds of people in the U.S. and seriously sickens around 1,600 each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The supermarket chain recalled four flavors of "Abilyn's Frozen Bakery Ice Cream Cakes" after testing by the Food and Drug Administration found the "presence of possible contamination on the production line" making the sweet treats, although no confirmed contamination or related illnesses had been reported.
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Aila Slisco is a Newsweek night reporter based in New York. Her focus is on reporting national politics, where she ... Read more
