More than 300,000 packages of frozen children’s pasta are being recalled because they can cause a fatal allergic reaction.
Fairmont Foods is asking customers to return 147,000 pounds of its Kidfresh Spaghetti Loops with Meat Sauce product sold nationwide.
A routine inspection revealed that the product contains eggs, which is not declared on the label but can cause anaphylaxis in allergy sufferers.
At least one customer has already reported an adverse reaction after eating the pasta, although he recovered.
The above item is being recalled and customers are being offered a full refund
Research shows that thirty-three million Americans have an egg allergy, including nearly one in fifty children, among whom the allergy is most common.
Patients who consume eggs may experience hives, itching and rashes in milder cases.
But severe reactions can cause them to experience anaphylaxis – when the immune system overreacts and causes breathing and circulatory problems. This can be fatal.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) ordered the recall after the label error came to light.
Fairmont Foods discovered the label error during a routine inspection of its products, the company said.
Their pasta supplier had recently changed their formula, they said, to one that contained eggs, but the label had not been updated.
The mislabeled Kidfresh spaghetti loops were made between December 2022 and August 2023.
They were sold in three US states: Georgia, Indiana and Texas.
The affected products can be identified by the expiration date, ranging from April to December 2024, printed on the side of the box.
They also carry the lot codes: FF120722, FF011823, FF021623, FF032323, FF042623, FF071923 or FF081023.
Customers are urged to throw away the frozen pasta immediately or return it to stores for a full refund.
Patients with egg allergies face an overreaction from their immune system when they consume the egg white.
It’s not clear what causes the allergies, but it has previously been linked to genetics and living in a more polluted environment.