Caramel Recall as Deadly Warning Issued Days Before Christmas

Certain caramel bars were recalled this week amid concerns they might contain life-threatening allergens.

Astor Chocolate Corporation on Thursday recalled 1,092 Burnt Caramel Chocolate Bars that might contain "undeclared" traces of coconut, according to a recall alert from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued only four days before Christmas.

"People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to coconut run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products," the recall alert reads.

Coconut allergies affect less than 1 percent of the population, and those affected can suffer a range of symptoms—including hives, itching, nausea, skin rash, dizziness, coughing, diarrhea, sneezing, swelling in the throat, difficulty swallowing, runny nose or eyes, shortness of breath, fast or slow heartbeat and anaphylaxis—if they accidentally consume coconut, according to the NY Allergy & Sinus Centers.

No illnesses have been reported.

The affected candy bars were distributed through Aldi's distribution center in Haines City, Florida, which serves some Aldi stores in the state. The recall applies to products with the Lot Code "0101614649" and have a best-by date of December 11, 2024, according to the alert.

"The recall was initiated after it was discovered that the coconut-containing product was distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of coconut," the alert reads.

Anybody with additional questions is asked to contact the company at 1-732-901-1000 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday to Thursday or 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, according to the recall alert.

Newsweek reached out to Astor Chocolate Corporation via email for comment.

The FDA's website says that when "a company announces a recall, market withdrawal, or safety alert," the agency posts the company's announcement "as a public service." Food recalls are issued if there are concerns that a product may be harmful to consumers in some way, such as if mislabeled products fail to disclose allergens.

There have been a number of other product recalls ahead of Christmas.

On Tuesday, Nestlé Canada announced it was issuing a voluntary recall of "six batches of KITKAT Halloween Scary Friends 40 Pack in Canada" due to "potential plastic in the product which could pose a choking risk."

Racine Danish Kringles on Tuesday announced the recall of 960 units of Raspberry Kringle Danish. The recall was prompted after a customer discovered that a Raspberry Kringle containing pecans was distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of the nuts.

In November, several food manufacturers issued recalls for whole cantaloupes and melon products following several hospitalizations and deaths from salmonella across the United States.