FDA upgrades nationwide honey brand recall over steel shards discovered
The FDA issued a recall for hundreds of jars of three Queen Bee Gardens whipped honey products on July 16.
Experts warn that consuming small flakes of stainless steel can pose a choking hazard if they are 7mm (0.3 inches) or larger, especially for young children.
But on August 1, the department updated the recall to Class II, meaning that the use of any these products can cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences.
The recalled products, which were distributed throughout the US, had been purchased between June 1 and July 16, 2025.
The Wyoming-based company had manufactured the Whipped Honey Raspberry and QBee Whipped Honey Pure products, both with lot codes 206235, on June 23.
The QBee Whipped Honey Huckleberry with the lot code 206305 was made on June 30.
While it remains unclear how the flakes entered the whipped honey jars, experts believe it could be due to degradation of older or non-food-grade metal equipment, improper handling or cleaning of equipment.
The recalled products include 129 jars of QBee Whipped Honey Raspberry with the UPC 788394182358, 112 jars of QBee Whipped Honey Pure with the UPC 788394182006, and 24 jars of QBee Whipped Honey Huckleberry with the UPC 788394182259.
In most cases, accidentally ingesting a small flake of stainless steel is unlikely to cause serious harm and can easily pass through the digestive system.
However, stainless steel contains nickel, a common allergen which can be released from the metal into food items.
When consumed in excessive amounts through food items such as whipped honey, these stainless steel flakes can cause allergic reactions such as contact dermatitis, presenting as itchy rashes and redness.
In severe cases, the skin may become dry, scaly or develop blisters.
Additionally, if the flakes have sharp edges, they could potentially scratch the throat or cause internal injuries in the digestive system.
Consuming steel flakes can be especially dangerous for infants, young children and others in special risk groups as it may cause difficulty breathing, coughing, gagging and trouble breathing.
Ingestion of metal fragments can also lead to a range of symptoms, including abdominal pain, vomiting, bloody stool, chest or throat pain in young children.
Consumers who experience any health concerns related to the ingestion of these or similar products are encouraged to consult a medical professional and report the incident to the FDA's MedWatch program.
No incidents of injury caused by consuming the contaminated whipped honey have yet been reported.
This comes weeks after a recall was issued for ready-to-eat chicken sausages over fears of throat lacerations, health officials announced.
Massachusetts-based Kayem Foods Inc has voluntarily recalled 24,000lbs of its 'All Natural Al Fresco Chicken Sausage Sweet Apple with Vermont Maple Syrup' after customers reported finding white pieces of plastic inside of them.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said it was 'concerned that some products may be in consumers' refrigerators or freezers.'
'The problem was discovered after the firm notified USDA-Food Safety Inspection Service that it received three consumer complaints reporting white pieces of plastic in the chicken sausage products,' the agency said.
Affected products were produced on June 28, 2025, and have a use- or freeze-by date of October 1, 2025.
Each 11-ounce package contains four sausages and has the lot code 179 printed on the back package label. They also have 'P-7839' printed on the inside of the USDA mark of inspection.
The sausages were sold at Walmart and other retailers in 26 states, Washington DC and Puerto Rico.
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