The FDA has upgraded a recall alert for sugar substitutes, noting that consuming them ‘may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences.’
Eugene, Oregon-based NuNaturals Inc issued the recall in mid-July, after the company discovered it had labeled its stevia extract as monk fruit and its monkfruit extract as stevia.
The recall affects 78 bottles of both powdered stevia and monk fruit that were distributed to retailers nationwide, according to a notice from the FDA.
The recalled bottles had best-by dates of April 2028. The agency lists the recall status as ongoing.
Stevia comes from the same broad family of plants as ragweed, and some research suggests people with a ragweed allergy may not respond well to stevia.
In general, allergies to both stevia and monk fruit are too rare to have an official count, though they have been reported.
Allergic reactions have ranged from mild to severe, with symptoms including skin rashes and swelling, rapid pulse, trouble breathing, and a swollen tongue.
Stevia can be 50 to 300 times sweeter than sugar and has no calories. Monk fruit, meanwhile, is roughly 100 to 250 times sweeter than sugar.
There have been no reports of consumers becoming sick or having an allergic reaction to a NuNaturals Inc sweetener.
Allergic reactions to either stevia or monk fruit are rare but can range from mild to severe, with symptoms including skin rashes and swelling, rapid pulse, trouble breathing and a swollen tongue (stock)
NuNaturals did not specify which states received the mislabeled sweeteners, though the company supplies to thousands of grocery stores across the US.
The impacted products are labeled as the following: Pure Monk Fruit Sweetener – 78 bottles – UPC 7 39223 00187 6 – best-by: April 2028 – Lot number: 25104S, and Organic Pure Stevia – 78 bottles – UPC 7 39223 00204 0 – best-by: April 2028 – Lot number: 25104S.
The recall is isolated and other stevia and monk fruit products on shelves are believed safe.
Sugar substitutes like stevia and monk fruit have been gamechangers for people with diabetes who are highly sensitive to sugar spikes because they do not affect blood sugar levels.
But researchers have raised concerns about both in recent years, pointing to potential harms when used extensively.
Studies in animal models have suggested that stevia could cause an imbalance in the good and bad bacteria that populate the gut, otherwise known as the gut microbiome, affecting a range of bodily functions from the immune system to the risk of depression.
The recall is limited, affecting only 78 bottles of each, but the products were distributed to grocery stores nationwide
Monk fruit has not been studied nearly as extensively as stevia, and while there are no known risks to a person’s gut microbiome or other bodily systems, the long-term impacts of using it are less understood.
According to the FDA: ‘People with food allergies should read labels and avoid the foods they are allergic to. The law requires that food labels identify the food source of all major food allergens used to make the food.
‘Food producers recall their products from the marketplace when the products are mislabeled or when the food may present a health hazard to consumers because the food is contaminated or has caused a foodborne illness outbreak.’
