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The FDA is recalling cookies containing eight undisclosed ingredients, one of which is a potentially fatal allergen and five others potentially linked to cancer.
Gina Marie Bakery in Waterbury, Connecticut, is recalling 1lb and 2lb packages of six cookie types due to undeclared almonds and food dyes Yellow 5, Red 40, Yellow 6, Red 3, and Blue 1.
The products affected include: Italian Mixed Vanilla Cookies for undeclared almonds, sesame, Red 40, Red 3, and Blue 1; Italian Sesame Cookies with undisclosed Yellow 5, Red 40, Yellow 6; Vanilla Chocolate Dipped Cookies for undeclared Red 40; Vanilla with Apricot Jam Cookies for undeclared Red 40 and Yellow 6; Toasted Almond & Cherry Biscotti for undeclared Red 40; and Vanilla Cookies with Raspberry Peach Jam for undeclared Red 3 and Blue 1.
The cookies were available in grocery stores across Connecticut, including Stop and Shop and Price Chopper locations. They were also available under the Nardelli brand in some stores. The recall began after it was found that the allergens were not listed in the ingredients.
No sicknesses have been reported. Consumers with allergies to sesame and tree nuts, such as almonds, should return the cookie packages to the stores where they purchased them.
The FDA warns: ‘People allergic to nuts, sesame seeds, and/or food dyes are at risk of severe or life-threatening reactions if they consume these products.’
People with allergies to nuts, sesame seeds, or food dyes can experience severe reactions, including anaphylaxis. The life-threatening medical emergency causes difficulty breathing, a sharp drop in blood pressure and loss of consciousness, requiring immediate treatment with an epinephrine auto-injector.
In addition to causing potentially severe allergic reactions, food dyes such as Red 40 and Yellow 5 have been shown to be carcinogenic in animals and potentially cancer-causing in humans. Researchers also believe they exacerbate symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.
Nardelli’s recalled cookies sold in Connecticut Stop & Shop stores after failing to declare allergens on the label (stock)
The company and Consumer Protection have suspended sales until they are certain the problem has been corrected.
Undeclared allergens can enter food products through cross-contact, which is the accidental introduction of a major food allergen into a product during manufacturing.
The FDA enforces labeling rules and ensures that manufacturers have controls in place to prevent undeclared allergens.
An estimated 3.9 million Americans are allergic to tree nuts, and an allergy to almonds is the third most common type, affecting between nine percent and 15 percent of people with tree nut allergies.
As many as 1.5 million Americans have a sesame allergy, with 1.1 million being clinically diagnosed, equaling nearly 0.5 percent of the population.
Approximately 3million adults are allergic to food dyes, and it is estimated that they affect around two percent of children.
According to the USDA Branded Foods Database, over 36,000 American food products contain Red 40, and more than 8,000 foods sold in the US include the carcinogenic Red 3.
In addition to allergies, evidence has grown linking synthetic food dyes to neurobehavioral issues in children, such as hyperactivity and inattention. Recent concern has focused on their role in exacerbating attentional problems, especially in children with ADHD.
The FDA typically enforces labeling rules and ensures that manufacturers have controls in place to prevent undeclared allergens
Reactions to nuts, sesame seeds, or food dyes can range from mild to severe and life-threatening. Mild reactions may include hives, itching, or an upset stomach.
But these allergies are also known for their potential to cause anaphylaxis. The severe, rapid-onset reaction impairs breathing and can be fatal without immediate treatment using an EpiPen.
Between 2005 and 2014, a database of Americans showed that 7,310 people made emergency department visits due to food-induced anaphylaxis. Visits increased by 214 percent, with the most significant rise, 373 percent, being linked to reactions involving tree nuts and seeds.
The FDA recently recalled several products for containing undeclared almonds in 2025, including Blue Bell Ice Cream and the Ice Cream Factory’s Vanilla G.Nutt Ice Cream.
