A nationwide recall of Ritz peanut butter cracker sandwiches over possible undeclared allergens has received the second-highest risk warning by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
On July 8, Mondelēz Global LLC announced a voluntary recall for various carton sizes of the products as they may have been mislabeled as a cheese variety instead of the peanut version. The FDA issued a Class II risk warning for the recall on July 22.
Newsweek contacted Mondelēz Global LLC for comment by email outside regular working hours.
Why It Matters
A Class II risk classification refers to a situation in which the “use of or exposure to a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote,” according to the FDA.
The agency warned in its recall notice that people with an allergy or severe sensitivity to peanuts “may risk serious or life-threatening allergic reactions by consuming this product.”
Peanuts are one of the nine major food allergens identified by U.S. law. The others are milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame.
Allergic reactions vary in severity from mild symptoms, such as hives and lip swelling, to life-threatening complications, such as anaphylaxis, that may include fatal respiratory problems.
What To Know
The products affected by the recall include the following:
- Ritz Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches eight-pack, 37,985 cases—with the UPC 0 44000 88210 5 and best-by dates of November 1 to 9, 2025
- Ritz Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches 20-pack, 24,446 cases—with the UPC 0 44000 07584 2 and best-by dates of November 1 to 9, 2025, or January 2 to 22, 2026
- Ritz Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches, 224 cases—with the UPC 0 44000 07819 5 and best-by dates of November 1 to 9, 2025, or January 2 to 22, 2026
- Ritz Filled Cracker Sandwich 20-count variety pack, 13,872 cases—with the UPC 0 44000 08095 2 and best-by dates of November 2 to 9, 2025
The affected products contain individually wrapped packs that may have been mislabeled as the cheese variety instead of the peanut butter versions, according to the FDA.
The incorrect labeling may appear as follows: Ritz Cheese Cracker Sandwiches, with the UPC 0 44000 00211 4 and best-by dates of November 1 to 9, 2025, or January 2 to 22, 2026.
The FDA added that all the outer cartons were labeled correctly and indicated the presence of peanuts.
The original recall said the affected products were produced in the U.S. and sold at retail stores nationwide.
The company initiated the recall after it discovered that film packaging rolls used to wrap individual peanut butter products might “contain defects due to a supplier error.”
It added, “Corrective actions are being taken to help ensure this issue does not recur.”
What People Are Saying
Mondelēz Global LLC said in the July 8 recall notice: “There have been no reports of injury or illness reported to Mondelēz Global LLC to date related to this product, and we are issuing this recall as a precaution.”
The Food and Drug Administration said on its website: “People with food allergies should read labels and avoid the foods they are allergic to. The law requires that food labels identify the food source of all major food allergens used to make the food.”
Dr. Sebastian Lighvani, the director of New York Allergy and Asthma PLLC, previously told Newsweek: “Every three minutes in the United States, someone ends up in an emergency room because of an allergic reaction after accidental ingestion of food. So even when we try hard, these reactions are happening. And if you look at the incidence of anaphylaxis, it has skyrocketed in the last five, 10, 20 years. And in the U.S., there’s like a 300 to 400 percent increase in the rates of anaphylaxis to foods.”
What Happens Next
The FDA lists the recall as ongoing. Consumers who purchased the affected products and have a peanut allergy should not consume them.
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