Milk allergen risk prompts ConAgra RTE popcorn recall

The US firm issued a nationwide recall on around 14,000 cases of two Orville Redenbacher’s Classic Kettle Korn varieties – 5.0-ounce and 1.5-ounce packs.

“Certain bags of the Kettle Korn flavored ready-to-eat popcorn may have inadvertently been filled with white cheddar flavored popcorn, which contains an allergen, milk,”​ ConAgra said.

“…This issue was discovered after a consumer found white cheddar flavored popcorn in a Kettle Korn package and contacted the company,”​ it said.

Communicating the recall​

ConAgra said it is working in cooperation with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and closely with its retail customers to ensure the products are removed from shelves.

“ConAgra Foods is also issuing an alert through Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) in an effort to notify any potentially impacted consumers,”​ it said.

There have been no reported illnesses reported in connection with the product and no other Orville Redenbacher’s products are impacted.

US milk allergy risk​

The FARE website suggests that children are at greater risk of undeclared milk allergens compared to adults. According to FARE 2.5% of American children have a cow’s milk allergy but it is not a common allergen for adults.

Lactose intolerance is also relatively high in the US with a reported 40 million (33% of the population), according to 2012 data from the National Digestive Diseases Information.