Products from a brand of cookies sold in a clear plastic jug shaped like a bear at Target were recently recalled.
According to a release issued by D.F. Stauffer Biscuit Co., Inc., the company recalled containers of the 44 oz Market Pantry White Fudge Animal Cookies "because they may contain metal."
"The recall was initiated when metal (wire) was found inside a portion of the cookies," the release said. "Foodborne foreign objects that are flexible, not sharp, and smaller in length are more likely to cause serious injury or dental injury."
Food recalls, per the FDA, occur if a product is mislabeled or is a health hazard to consumers. It may be hazardous if the food is contaminated or caused an illness.
FoodSafety.gov reported that it is important for consumers to be aware of recalls because they may cause injury or illness, particularly among people who are pregnant or have weakened immune systems.
"Recalls are very specific, meaning all information must match for a product to be considered part of a recall," FoodSafety.gov said. "If a product doesn't match all the information in the recall completely (brand, product name, use or freeze by date, EST number, etc.), then it is not considered part of the recall and is safe to use."
In the event that a customer purchased a product that was recalled, they should not open or consume it. Rather, they are advised to return it to the store they bought it from for a refund or dispose of it following the instructions included in a recall notice.
Which Cookies Were Recalled?
To see if your cookies are affected, check for:
- a best-by date of February 21, 2023,
- the lot numbers Y052722 and
- timestamps from 15:00 to 23:00, which can be found below the nutritional panel.
"The products were distributed to Target stores nationwide," the release said. "No other lots or products are affected."
Those who purchased the affected products were advised to stop consuming the cookies and return them to the place of purchase for a refund.
When reached for comment, a spokesperson with D.F. Stauffer Biscuit Co., Inc. told Newsweek they were unable to provide any additional information beyond what was in the press release.
Two weeks ago, Capri Sun also recently issued a recall after products were contaminated with a cleaning solution. The Kraft Heinz Company said more than 5,700 cases of the Wild Cherry Flavored Juice Drink Blend became contaminated with a diluted cleaning solution used on the company's food processing equipment.
At about the same time, frozen meat pizzas produced by Home Run Inn Frozen Food recalled more than 13,000 pounds of frozen pizza that could be contaminated with "extraneous materials."
And six days ago, Perdue issued a health alert for its frozen ready-to-eat chicken breast gluten-free tenders for potentially containing small pieces of plastic and blue dye. A recall was not issued because the product is not available for purchase.
Update: 09/06/22 11:38 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from a spokesperson with D.F. Stauffer Biscuit Co.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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