Agency cites more than 30 recalled items by specialty grocer over one-year period
The Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning to Whole Foods Market over what the agency called a “pattern” of recalls related to food allergens not listed on product packaging.
In a warning letter to Whole Foods posted yesterday, the FDA said the Austin, Texas-based specialty grocer “engaged in a pattern” of receiving and offering for sale “misbranded food products” under its own label that failed to declare all major food allergens among their ingredients, as required by the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. In turn, between October 2019 and November 2020, Whole Foods recalled 32 products because of undeclared allergens, the agency reported.
FDA warns Whole Foods about ongoing issue with incorrect food labels that lead to recalls
Updated Dec 22, 2020;
Posted Dec 22, 2020
Whole Foods has been warned by the FDA about an ongoing issue with its food labels not including ingredients that could be potential allergens including milk, eggs and nuts. George McNish | For NJ Advance Media
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The FDA said it reviewed recalls from Whole Foods.
“These recalls demonstrate that your corporation engaged in a pattern of receiving and offering for sale misbranded food products.
For the time period of October 2019 to November 2020, your firm recalled 32 food products due to undeclared allergen(s),” the FDA wrote.
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Food regulators alerted the retailer they have noticed a pattern of food items being sold without labels alerting customers to allergens. (Lorraine Swanson/Patch)
AUSTIN, TX Federal food regulators recently sent Austin-based Whole Foods a warning letter accusing the retailer of participating in a pattern of receiving and offering for sale products that did not disclose allergens to customers.
Sent last Wednesday, the letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration explains the agency has analyzed patterns of recalls before zeroing in on the history of food recalls by the retailer. These recalls demonstrate that your corporation engaged in a pattern of receiving and offering for sale misbranded food products, wrote William A. Correll Jr., director of the agency s Office of Compliance Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. For the time period of October 2019 to November 2020, your firm recalled 32 food products due to undeclared allergen(s).
Whole Foods gets first ever FDA warning letter about mislabeled food that leads to recalls Last Updated: Dec. 23, 2020 at 8:05 a.m. ET First Published: Dec. 22, 2020 at 2:52 p.m. ET By Email icon Whole Foods Market is part of the Amazon.com Inc. AMZN,
The FDA says Whole Foods recalled 32 products between October 2019 and November 2020 due to undeclared allergens.
“The FDA noticed similar patterns of numerous recalls by Whole Foods Market for undeclared allergens in previous years as well,” the agency wrote in a constituent update posted on its website.
The FDA says the items were mostly sold under the Whole Foods brand, and were primarily found in the deli and bakery sections.