Popular cookies made by an upscale Belgian chocolate company have been recalled for containing an ingredient that was not on the ingredients label.
Neuhaus Chocolates recalled its Belgian Chocolate Moments Smurfs Popping Milk Chocolates with Cookies because they contain undeclared wheat.
The recalled cookies were sent to stores in New York, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Washington DC, and were available online via the Neuhaus website.
‘People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to wheat run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products,’ the FDA said.
Wheat allergies, suffered by 1.6million to 4million Americans, result from the immune system’s overreactive response to an environmental allergen. It causes hives, swelling, difficulty breathing, and life-threatening anaphylaxis.
Undeclared wheat also poses a risk to people with celiac disease, a result of gluten in wheat that triggers an autoimmune response, causing digestive issues, fatigue, iron deficiency, joint pain, headaches, and a skin rash.
Roughly one percent of the US population, around 1.8 million Americans, is affected by celiac disease, but more than 35 percent carry the celiac-causing gene and, while testing negative for the disease in blood tests, could still experience symptoms including bloating and diarrhea.
The FDA reported that only 150 boxes of the cookies have been sold. So far, no complaints or illnesses have been reported.
According to the FDA, people with allergies to gluten and wheat specifically ‘run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction’ if they eat the recalled cookies, pictured here
Celiac disease and wheat allergies are slightly different. A wheat allergy could be due to gluten proteins, but it could also be an immune reaction to other proteins. Celiac is an autoimmune reaction to gluten that eats away at the lining of the small intestine (Stock image)
The Belgian Chocolate Moments Smurf’s ‘Popping Milk Chocolates with Cookies’ were distributed between July 21 and August 4. Each had sell by dates of January 13, 2026.
The recall was initiated after Neuhaus staff conducting an internal check found products containing wheat were distributed in packaging that did not include the ingredient on its label.
The FDA said the issue was caused by a ‘combination of circumstances.’
Subsequent investigation indicates the problem was caused by an exceptional combination of circumstances in which the company’s internal software did not include the allergen on the packaging.
‘If you are allergic or intolerant to wheat (gluten), do not consume this product and return it to the point of sale where this product was purchased,’ the agency said.
A wheat allergy is different from celiac disease, as they are caused by different immune reactions. A wheat allergy could be due to gluten proteins, but it could also be an immune reaction to other proteins in wheat, such as albumin or globulin.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder caused by an allergic reaction to gluten in wheat, barley, or rye, which triggers the immune system to attack the lining of the small intestine.
