The FDA is warning Americans of a popular chocolate treat that could cause a ‘life-threatening allergic reaction.’

Mellace Family Brands California, Inc. of Warren, Ohio is recalling semi – sweet chocolate nonpareils from grocery store giant Wegmans because they may contain undeclared milk.

People who have a milk allergy may be at risk of a severe reaction if they eat the product.

The chocolates were sold in Wegmans stores across Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington DC, in a plastic tub labeled Wegmans Semi-Sweet Chocolate Nonpareils 18.5oz (1LB 2.5OZ) 524g.

The recall was initiated after the product was found to contain milk but was distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of the ingredient.

An investigation found the issue occurred because of a temporary breakdown in the suppliers’ manufacturing process. 

It comes after a similar product, JLM-branded dark chocolate nonpareils from Lipari Foods, was recalled for the same reason last month.

Customers who bought the product are urged to discard it or return it to the place of purchase.

The product was sold in Wegmans in Delaware , Maryland , Massachusetts , North Carolina , New Jersey , New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington DC

The product was sold in Wegmans in Delaware , Maryland , Massachusetts , North Carolina , New Jersey , New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington DC

No illnesses or adverse events have been reported in connection to the recall, according to the FDA.

The UPC codes include: UPC 0 77890 49787 6, SCC 10077890497873.

And the affected lot codes include: 55021; 55031; 55491; 55501; 56061 and 56071.

The best buy dates range from December 28, 2025 to April 12, 2026. 

Milk can cause severe reactions in the 30 to 50million Americans with lactose intolerance and the 7million with dairy allergies.

People who are lactose intolerant cannot properly digest lactose, a sugar found in milk and other dairy products.

This occurs because their bodies don’t produce enough of the enzyme lactase, which is needed to break down lactose.

Mellace Family Brands California , Inc. of Warren, Ohio is recalling semi ¿ sweet chocolate nonpareils from grocery store giant Wegmans

Mellace Family Brands California , Inc. of Warren, Ohio is recalling semi – sweet chocolate nonpareils from grocery store giant Wegmans

They were sold in a plastic tub labeled Wegmans Semi-Sweet Chocolate Nonpareils 18.5oz (1LB 2.5OZ) 524g

They were sold in a plastic tub labeled Wegmans Semi-Sweet Chocolate Nonpareils 18.5oz (1LB 2.5OZ) 524g

Your browser does not support iframes.

Undigested lactose then travels to the gut and gets fermented by bacteria, leading to digestive distress.

Symptoms usually start within 30 minutes to two hours of consuming a dairy product and include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, bloating and gas.

Additionally, roughly two percent of Americans – 6.6million – are allergic to milk.

Symptoms of an allergy include hives, wheezing, coughing, congestion, face and throat swelling and in severe cases, anaphylaxis.

This is a life-threatening allergic reaction that occurs very quickly after being exposed to an allergen.

It triggers an extreme immune response, leading to dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath and vomiting. If not treated quickly with epinephrine (adrenaline), which can be administered via injection like an EpiPen or nasal spray, a person can die.

***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk