Fresh Direct pretzel recall: Dark chocolate snacks could pose serious health risks to some individuals

If you enjoy snacking on chocolate-covered pretzels, you’ll want to make sure you don’t have a specific variety of the tasty snacks from Fresh Direct in your possession. That’s because the chocolate-covered pretzels in question contain an undeclared milk allergen that could cause life-threatening health consequences in some people, up to and including death.

Here’s what you need to know about the recall.

What’s happened?

Food distributor United Natural Trading LLC of Edison, New Jersey, has announced a recall of one of its Fresh Direct Dark Chocolate Covered Pretzels products after it was found to contain an undeclared milk allergen. As a result, the company decided to issue a voluntary recall.

What product is being recalled?

The voluntary recall only includes one product, according to the recall notice posted on the website of the Food And Drug Administration (FDA).

The details of the product involved in the recall, which has an undeclared milk allergen, are as follows:

• Description: Fresh Direct Dark Chocolate Covered Pretzels
• Lot Number: 24353
• Best By Date: 06/30/2025
• UPC#: 811102026276

Images of the product can be found here.

Where was the recalled product sold?

According to the notice on the FDA’s website, the above product was sold online “via a third-party vendor site.” 

The products were shipped to Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York.

What is a milk allergen?

A food allergen is a type of food that causes an adverse reaction in the person who consumes it. According to the FDA, there are nine major food allergens. The first one the FDA lists is the milk allergen, which is the reason for this recall.

Milk allergens can cause a number of uncomfortable reactions in the body as well as lead to an acute reaction called anaphylaxis, which can be deadly.

What are the symptoms of a milk allergy?

Milk allergy symptoms are wide-ranging and can differ based on the individual, according to the Mayo Clinic. Symptoms can present within a few minutes to a few hours of consuming the milk product. 

Immediate symptoms usually include:

• Hives
• Wheezing
• Itching or tingling feeling around the lips or mouth
• Swelling of the lips, tongue or throat
• Coughing or shortness of breath
• Vomiting

The Mayo Clinic says the following symptoms may take more time to appear:

• Loose stools or diarrhea, which may contain blood
• Abdominal cramps
• Runny nose
• Watery eyes
• Colic, in babies

However, the greatest threat from a milk allergen comes from its ability to cause anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction that can lead to the person being unable to breathe. 

Anaphylaxis is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment as it can lead to death. The Mayo Clinic says signs of anaphylaxis include:

• Constriction of airways, including a swollen throat that makes it difficult to breathe
• Facial flushing
• Itching
• Shock, with a marked drop in blood pressure

What do I do if I have the recalled Fresh Direct pretzels?

Do not consume them. Instead, dispose of them.

According to the FDA notice, consumers can also retain the packaging for the recalled pretzels and its online receipt or other proof of purchase so they may receive a refund.

Consumers can contact United Natural Trading LLC for more information at 732-650-9905 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST, Monday to Friday.

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