Cookie Recall As Eating Items Shipped in Last Three Months Could Be Fatal

Gift baskets have been hit by an "urgent food recall" after manufacturers discovered that some packets of raspberry crème cookies actually contained hazelnut crème—a potentially deadly allergen to those allergic to nuts.

The recall was issued on Friday, just a day after Thanksgiving, and many of the gift baskets are likely to have been purchased as treats for friends and families ahead of the holiday season. The affected products have been distributed across the U.S. for months, with affected batches being shipped as far back as August.

Wine Country Gift Baskets, part of a firm named Houdini Inc., voluntarily recalled all its gift baskets that contained Acorn Baking Company's raspberry crème filled cookies after a labeling error saw some cookie packages filled with hazelnut crème cookies instead. People allergic to nuts "run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products," warned the company in its "urgent food recall" announcement, which was shared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

A note on the FDA's website explains that when "a company announces a recall, market withdrawal, or safety alert, the FDA posts the company's announcement as a public service." Recalls are issued if there are concerns that a food product may be harmful in some way. For example, just last week, cooks were warned of a ground beef recall hitting thousands of pounds of meat, amid fears that it may be "contaminated with a foreign object." While back in January, some 50,000 pounds of sausage products were recalled when FSIS inspectors announced they could be infected with a potentially deadly bacteria.

In the latest recall to affect American consumers, the company said on Friday: "Wine Country Gift Baskets is taking precautionary measures of voluntarily recalling all gift baskets produced with Acorn Baking Company raspberry crème filled cookies. During production, it was discovered that some packages of the raspberry crème filled cookies contained hazelnut crème filled cookies.

"Hazelnut is a tree nut and listed as one of the nine major food allergens. The allergen statement on each individual cookie package states 'May Contain Traces of Peanuts, Hazelnuts, Almonds, Sesame, Sulphites' as these two cookies are produced in the same facility. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to tree nuts (hazelnuts) run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products."

The company did not reveal how the serious labeling error occurred, and Newsweek has reached out to Houdini Inc. by email seeking further information and comment.

According to its website, Houdini Inc. was established in California in 1984 and "has been the leading supplier of upscale food and wine gifts to resellers throughout the U.S."

No illnesses or injuries have been reported, and there have been no complaints about the product, the company said in its recall announcement, but added: "Wine Country Gift Basket/Houdini Inc. is committed to providing only the highest quality of product and is taking this action out of an abundance of caution in the interest of consumer protection."

The recall affects the raspberry crème cookies in gift baskets shipped from August 29, 2023 to November 21, 2023. "There is no issue with any of the other food in the gift basket," the statement added.

Photographs shared of the cookies in the recall notice show that the raspberry treats have no decoration, while the hazelnut cookies have a pattern formed with brown-colored dough.

Concerned consumers worried about their gift baskets should check the lot code (printed in black on a white label stuck to the bottom of the basket) against the affected products below:

• #067 Believe Cookie, Cake and Brownie Collection: Gift lot code LC605975
• #197 Gourmet Bakery Basket: Gift lot codes LC598713, LC605114 and LC607073
• #342 Bakery Bonanza: Gift lot codes LC598715 and LC605960
• #343 Brownie, Cookie & Cake Assortment: Gift lot codes LC598716, LC605961 and LC607074
• #359 Brownie, Cookie & Cake Sleigh: Gift lot code LC602489
• #373 Cookie, Brownie and Cake Winter Assortment: Gift lot code LC601586
• #925 Bakery, Coffee & Cocoa Gift Collection: Gift lot codes LC597449 and LC600895
• #926 Tis The Season Bakery Gift Box: Gift lot code LC601587
• #927 Fresh Baked Cookie, Brownie and Cake Collection: Gift lot code LC601192

The company said anyone allergic to nuts who has raspberry crème cookies in the gift baskets above should dispose of them.

Consumers should contact the company in order to request a refund.

Customers with questions are advised to contact Houdini Customer Care department on weekdays between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. at 866-712-5910.