
FDA issues urgent recall of Ritz crackers over fatal ingredient
This is a serious risk to the 3million peanut butter allergy sufferers in the US who may unknowingly consume the crackers and be at risk of 'serious or life-threatening allergic reactions'. The FDA said the affected sandwiches were sold nationwide, with RITZ Crackers carried by many top stores, including Target, CVS and Dollar General.
The labeling issue was detected for cartons that contain eight, 20 or 40 individually wrapped packs of Ritz sandwiches. All affected cartons warn of the presence of peanuts on the outside, but inside, in some cases, individually wrapped packs have been incorrectly labeled.
There have been no reports of injuries or adverse events to date, with officials saying they've announced the recall as a precaution. Customers who have a peanut allergy are advised not to eat the products and to discard any that may be affected. Products in the recall are a 20-pack of RITZ Filled Cracker Sandwich Variety that contains 10 cheese and 10 peanut butter crackers.
The recall also includes: A n 8-pack of RITZ Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches, a 20-pack of RITZ Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches, and a 40-pack of RITZ Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches. It is not clear exactly how many cartons of RITZ sandwiches are included in the recall.
Affected cartons have a best-before date of up to January 2026, and customers have been advised to check the UPC code — next to the barcode — to find out if their carton is affected. The manufacturer, Mondelez Global, has blamed the issue on a supplier error for the incorrect labeling. This may suggest issues with printing labels that led some peanut butter RITZ sandwiches to be incorrectly labeled.
In serious cases, people can suffer from anaphylaxis — a life-threatening condition where someone is left struggling to breathe because of constriction of the airways and swelling of the lips, tongue and throat. Less than four people die from the allergy every year in the US, according to the national food allergy death registry.
It comes after RITZ was hit by a second recall in Canada in February this year due to an undeclared allergen. Original Mini Ritz Crackers sold in 200-gram resealable bags had to be recalled over the issue. It was found that these products may contain undeclared milk, which can also cause an allergic reaction in people, causing a breakout in hives or a rash.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Reuters
12 hours ago
- Reuters
US health secretary Kennedy's vaccine actions and policy positions
July 23 (Reuters) - U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a long-time vaccine skeptic, has been making sweeping changes to reshape vaccine, food and medicine policies. The most far-reaching of his moves culminated in the layoff of all 17 members of a panel of vaccine experts at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Here are some of the vaccine-related policy moves under Kennedy's leadership in recent months: Date of Announcement: March 13, 2025 Details: U.S. FDA independently recommends virus strains for 2025-2026 influenza vaccines, deviating from traditional advisory committee voting. Date of Announcement: April 16, 2025 Details: Kennedy plans a series of studies on link between autism and environmental factors, including mold, air, water and food. He said, without any scientific evidence, that "environmental toxins" are responsible for the rise in autism rates among children in the U.S. Date of Announcement: May 7, 2025 Details: Federal agencies will create a database to research causes of autism, focusing on Medicare and Medicaid data, as part of a broader effort to explore potential links between vaccines and autism. Date of Announcement: May 20, 2025 Details: The FDA plans new trials for annual COVID-19 boosters, limiting them to older adults and those at risk of severe illness. This change aligns with international perspectives on COVID vaccination strategies. Date of Announcement: May 27, 2025 Details: The U.S. stops recommending routine COVID vaccinations for pregnant women and healthy children, bypassing the CDC's traditional advisory process. Date of Announcement: May 28, 2025 Details: The Trump administration cancels a contract with Moderna (MRNA.O), opens new tab for the late-stage development of its bird flu vaccine, after determining it did not meet scientific standards. Date of Announcement: June 9, 2025 Details: Kennedy fires all members of the CDC vaccine expert panel, which recommends how vaccines are used and by whom, promising to restore public trust in health agencies. Scientists and experts say the changes would undermine public confidence in health agencies. Date of Announcement: June 11, 2025 Details: Kennedy names eight members to serve on a key panel of vaccine advisers, including several who have advocated against vaccines, after abruptly firing all 17 members of the independent committee of experts. Date of announcement: June 23 Details: The new members of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will begin a two-day meet with a revamped agenda which includes discussions on vaccines containing the preservative thimerosal. Date of announcement: July 23 Details: The United States will stop distributing all influenza vaccines that contain mercury-based preservative thimerosal, as Kennedy accepts the vaccine panel's recommendation given in June.


Reuters
13 hours ago
- Reuters
Missouri accuses Planned Parenthood of downplaying abortion drug risks
July 23 (Reuters) - Missouri's Republican attorney general filed a lawsuit on Wednesday accusing reproductive healthcare provider Planned Parenthood of misleading women about the potential risks of using the abortion drug mifepristone. The lawsuit, opens new tab by the office of Attorney General Andrew Bailey claims Planned Parenthood tells patients that the drug is 'safer than many other medicines like penicillin, Tylenol, and Viagra," while not disclosing that up to 4.6% of women visit emergency rooms after taking it. The lawsuit in Missouri state court accuses Planned Parenthood of violating a state law banning deceptive business practices. The state is seeking millions of dollars in penalties, including up to $1,000 for each woman in Missouri who has been provided abortion pills by Planned Parenthood over the last five years. "We are going to hold these charlatans and death dealers accountable," Bailey said in a social media post. Planned Parenthood did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mifepristone is taken in tandem with another drug, misoprostol, during the first 10 weeks of pregnancy, and won approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2000. Medication abortions account for more than half of U.S. abortions, though 28 states including Missouri restrict access, according to the nonprofit Guttmacher Institute, which focuses on reproductive health. The FDA has repeatedly called mifepristone safe and effective as demonstrated over decades of use by millions of Americans, with rare adverse effects. According to the FDA, between 2.9% and 4.6%, opens new tab of women who take the drug then visit an emergency room, and up to 0.6% of women who use mifepristone are hospitalized. A widely-cited 2021 study that purported to show an increase in emergency room visits after using mifepristone has been retracted, opens new tab. In Wednesday's lawsuit, Bailey's office said that newer studies conducted since the administration of former President Joe Biden eased some restrictions on accessing mifepristone identified serious adverse effects in more than 10% of women who took a single dose of the drug.


Reuters
13 hours ago
- Reuters
US ends use of flu shots with thimerosal in latest move by health secretary Kennedy
July 23 (Reuters) - The United States will stop distributing all influenza vaccines that contain mercury-based preservative thimerosal, marking the latest move by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reshape vaccine policy. Last month, a vaccine panel with members handpicked by Kennedy voted in favor of Americans receiving seasonal flu shots that are free from thimerosal, despite decades of studies showing no related safety issues. About 5% of flu shots given in the U.S. in the last flu season were multi-dose vials that contained the preservative, which was largely phased out decades ago. Anti-vaccine groups have for decades linked thimerosal to autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders, and Kennedy wrote a book in 2014 in which he advocated for "the immediate removal of mercury" from vaccines. The FDA on its website says "there was no evidence that thimerosal in vaccines was dangerous," and that the decision to remove it previously was a precautionary measure to decrease overall exposure to mercury among young infants. One of the panelists, who voted against the recommendation, had pointed out that the risk of not receiving the influenza vaccine because it contains thimerosal is greater than any known risks of the preservative. CSL's ( opens new tab Afluria, and Flucelvax and Sanofi's ( opens new tab Fluzone include thimerosal in multi-dose versions, according to the FDA's website. Kennedy accepted the panel's recommendation, the Department of Health and Human Services said on Wednesday, in the absence of the CDC director, who typically signs off on them before they are implemented. President Donald Trump's nominee for the CDC director, Susan Monarez, is yet to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Other recommendations made by the panel, known as the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices, at a meeting in June are still under review, the HHS said. Vaccine manufacturers have confirmed that they have the capacity to replace multi-dose vials containing the preservative, ensuring that supplies will not be interrupted, HHS said. Sanofi said it acknowledges the new policy and will have sufficient supply of the flu vaccine this season. CSL did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.