Bimbo Bakeries USA, based in Horsham, has received a warning letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration indicating it has mislabeled its products, claiming they contain potentially dangerous allergens even when they don’t, writes Tim Jimeez for KYW Newsradio.
FDA inspectors found that the company listed ingredients such as sesame seeds and tree nuts in certain products, even when those ingredients weren’t used, constituting a “misbranding” of those products.
Bimbo Bakeries includes brands such as Sara Lee, Oroweat, Thomas’, Entenmann’s and Ball Park buns and rolls.
FDA officials indicated that using allergen labels is “not a substitute” for working to prevent cross-contamination in factories.
“Food labels must be truthful and not misleading,” officials said.
The nonprofit group Food Allergy Research and Education said Bimbo’s labeling “does a disservice” to the estimated 33 million people in the U.S. with food allergies.
“Our community relies on accurate product labeling for their health and safety,” said Sung Poblete, FARE’s chief executive. “These findings about Bimbo Bakeries’ products undermine their trust and further limit their choices,”
Bimbo has until July 8 to list steps to remedy the mislabeling or explain why the labeling doesn’t violate FDA standards.
Read more about the FDA’s warning letter to Bimbo at KYW Newsradio.
