The flour in the recalled products was supplied by Grain Craft, which five weeks ago notified the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) that peanut residue had been discovered in its soft red winter wheat flour.
The discovery prompted the recall of the flour, and a raft of products that were manufactured by CSM Bakery Solutions using it (see box-out below).
On Friday (June 3), Hostess issued a recall of products containing soft red winter wheat flour it had received from Grain Craft after it tested positive for peanut residue.
Undeclared peanut residue
"Hostess Brands is voluntarily recalling certain select snack cakes and donuts as a direct result of the recent recall by our supplier, Grain Craft, of certain lots of its flour for undeclared peanut residue," says a statement on the Hostess website. "The Hostess Brands products subject to the recall were produced using the Grain Craft flour that has now been recalled and, as a result, these products may contain low levels of undeclared peanut residue."
Testing by Hostess had been prompted by two children with peanut allergies suffering immediate allergic reactions after consuming Hostess donuts.
Hostess has notified the FDA that the flour contained peanut residue and has since tested other shipments of flour from the same supplier, as well as finished products, and found other instances of low-level peanut residue.
Sold throughout US and Mexico
The Hostess products affected by the recall include single-serve snack cakes and donuts, multipack boxes and bagged donuts sold to mass merchandisers, grocery stores, distributors, dollar stores, drug stores, and convenience stores throughout the US and Mexico. For a full list see table below this story. The recall does not affect any other Hostess Brands products.
According to the FDA, the amount of peanut exposure from use of the flours and affected products is low and “not expected to cause adverse health effects in the vast majority of peanut allergic consumers”.
It has, however, advised consumers with severe peanut allergies to avoid the recalled products.
Grain Craft flour recall
Grain Craft first notified the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on April 26 that sampling by a customer had found peanut residue in cookies. Subsequent analysis revealed the source of the peanut residue to be its soft red winter wheat flour.
Grain Craft and the FDA analyzed additional samples of the flour and found peanut residue.
Grain Craft ceased manufacturing and distributing its soft red winter wheat flour on April 30, and subsequent FDA sampling did not show the presence of peanut protein. Following ongoing discussions with the FDA, Grain Craft issued a recall to its customers.
Certain date codes of the following products were recalled by Grain Craft customer CSM Bakery Solutions: Cinnabon Stix; Safeway 8" Single Layer Red Velvet Cake; ACME 12” Decorated Chocolate Chip Cookie; Jewel 12” Decorated Chocolate Chip Cookie; Chick-fil-A Chocolate Chunk Cookies. For a list of detailed affected products.
The FDA said it is working with companies that received flour from Grain Craft containing undeclared peanut residue to determine if their products pose a safety hazard and need to be recalled.
Grain Craft does not sell directly to consumers.