Chocolate recall elevated to highest risk level by FDA due to risk of 'adverse health consequences’

A major chocolate recall has been upgraded to the highest possible risk level.

Last month, Cal Yee Farm LCC issued a recall on its chocolate and yogurt covered products, since they may have contained undeclared substances, including milk, soy, wheat, sesame, almonds, FD&C #6, a synthetic dye used in foods. Customers with an allergy or severe sensitivity to these things “run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions.”

The FDA, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, has now updated the classification of the recall. Five products from Cal Yee Farm’s recall — Yogurt Coated Almonds, Dark Chocolate Apricots, Dark Chocolate Raisins, Tropical Trail Mix, and Dark Chocolate Walnuts — have been given a Class 1 classification for containing undeclared milk.

According to the FDA, Class 1, which is the highest level of a recall, is “a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.”

Many other products from Cal Yee Farm that were a part of the initial recall: Butter Toffee, Almonds, Mango with Chili, Hot Cajun Sesame Sticks, New Orleans Hot Mix, and two fruit baskets.

The New Orleans Hot Mix and Hot Cajun Sesame Sticks are also now considered a Class 1 recall, due to undeclared wheat and soybean oil.

The products were distributed in nine states: Arizona, California, New Mexico, Oregon, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Tennessee. They were sold through Cal Yee Farm’s retail stores in California and online orders.

The recalled items were in clear, plastic zippered pouches that were either eight ounces, one pound, two pounds, or five pounds in size, with a bright yellow label at the front. There has been no illness reported due to this product.

The recall was initiated after the FDA inspected Cal Yee Farm’s facility. The inspection discovered “that products containing milk, soy, wheat, sesame, FD&C #6 and almonds were distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of milk, soy, wheat, sesame, FD&C #6 and almonds,” as noted in the initial recall.

2025 has seen a slew of serious recalls. On January 27, Bags of Lay’s Classic Potato Chip received an elevated recall status, making it a Class 1. The FDA first announced on December 18, 2024 that Frito-Lay issued a recall on a “limited number” of the 13 oz bags of chips. These Lay’s Classic Potato Chips bags were recalled because they “may contain undeclared milk,” which Frito-Lay learned “after being alerted through a consumer contact.”

On January 21, D. Coluccio & Sons announced it was recalling its 300-gram packages of “Colussi Cantuccini Chocolate Drops” because they may contain undeclared almonds. This poses the risk of “serious or life-threatening allergic reactions” to consumers with tree nut allergies, per the FDA.

The recall was initiated after it “was discovered that the almond-containing product was distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of almonds.” A subsequent investigation indicated that this mistake was due to a “temporary breakdown in the company’s production and packaging processes.”

On January 20, the FDA also issued a recall on the curry-flavored Curvee Puffs Corn Puff Snack bags because they “contain undeclared milk.” The recall only applies to the 2.46-ounce bags of the Shirakiku brand snacks.