Ritz Peanut Butter Cracker Recall Sparks Nationwide Warning
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Mondelēz Global LLC is recalling multiple carton sizes of Ritz peanut butter cracker sandwiches due to fears the product may be mislabeled.
Newsweek reached out to the company via email Tuesday for comment.
Why It Matters
Numerous recalls have been initiated in 2025 due to the potential of damaged products, foodborne illness, contamination and undeclared food allergens.
Millions of Americans experience food sensitivities or allergies every year. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the nine "major" food allergens in the U.S. are eggs, milk, fish, wheat, soybeans, Crustacean shellfish, sesame, tree nuts and peanuts.
People with a sensitivity or allergy to peanuts may experience "serious or life-threatening allergic reactions" if they consume the recalled product, the FDA warns.
Accidental ingestion can lead to anaphylaxis, a rapid and life-threatening allergic reaction that requires immediate medical intervention. Even trace amounts of peanuts can cause symptoms from hives and swelling to difficulty breathing and shock.
What To Know
In the alert, the FDA says the products were manufactured in the United States and sold nationwide.
The Ritz Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches in eight-pack, 20-pack and 40-pack cartons as well as the 20-pack Ritz Filled Cracker Sandwich Variety Pack cartons are being recalled due to the possibility of the individually wrapped packages inside the carton potentially being labeled cheese, the FDA says.
"All outer cartons affected are labeled correctly and provide an allergen advisory statement indicating that the product 'contains peanuts,'" the FDA notes.
No other Mondelēz Global LLC products or Ritz products are impacted by the recall. In the alert, the FDA posted a chart with corresponding best if used by dates along with retail UPC numbers. The alert also has pictures of the affected products.
Ritz cheese cracker sandwiches, peanut butter cracker sandwiches and Ritz filled cracker sandwich variety packs with different best by dates and UPC numbers are also not affected by the recall.
There have been no reported illnesses or injuries as of Tuesday, the alert says. Mondelēz Global LLC reaffirms the recall was initiated as a precaution.
A grocery store aisle in Brooklyn is pictured on May 13 in New York City. (Photo by)
A grocery store aisle in Brooklyn is pictured on May 13 in New York City. (Photo by)
What People Are Saying
The FDA in its alert, in part: "The recall was initiated after Mondelēz Global LLC discovered that film packaging rolls used to package individually wrapped products containing peanut butter may contain defects due to a supplier error. Corrective actions are being taken to help ensure this issue does not recur."
What Happens Next
Customers with questions or concerns may contact the company around the clock via phone at 1-844-366-1171.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
TechCrunch
17 minutes ago
- TechCrunch
Fed up with brands that use corn syrup and skim milk, this mother developed her own ‘clean' baby formula
When Esther Hallam welcomed her daughter, Nara, into the world, she faced the challenge of searching for trustworthy brands that offered high-quality, organic infant formula in the U.S. Despite being available for nearly 160 years, the quality of infant formula options in the U.S. is still lacking, she believes. Many manufacturers opt for skim milk to cut costs, which allows them to add oils to meet nutritional requirements. Several formulas contain palm oil, soy, and corn syrup, which aren't recommended for infants due to their potential health risks. For instance, research has linked corn syrup to an increased risk of obesity, while palm oil has been shown to decrease calcium and fat absorption. 'I became fixated by the fact that there wasn't a good, organic infant formula that I trusted, that I wanted to feed my daughter in the United States, which is a first-world country,' Hallam told TechCrunch. For the past seven years, Hallam has been developing her own organic, whole-milk infant formula from scratch, with the help of scientists and pediatric nutritionists. Today marks the official launch of Nara Organics, which meets both European and U.S. safety standards, and is FDA-registered and USDA-certified. Most importantly, the formula is free from palm oil, soy, corn syrup, maltodextrin, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs), providing a clean option for conscientious parents looking to nourish their babies with the best possible ingredients. Nara Organics claims to have the highest percentage of milk fat of any formula sold in the U.S. It also has the lowest percentage of plant-based oils, as the use of whole milk means that less oil is needed to achieve the correct fat content. The ingredient list on the package includes an 'organic vegetable oil blend' made up of organic sunflower, coconut, and rapeseed oils, which provide essential fatty acids that support healthy development. Techcrunch event Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They're here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don't miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices rise. Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They're here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don't miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices rise. San Francisco | REGISTER NOW Image Credits:Nara Organics While there are several brands with organic formulas, such as Bobbie and ByHeart, these products are manufactured in the U.S. In contrast, Nara Organics chose not to produce its formula in American facilities, potentially due to previous issues with Cronobacter contamination, a germ that can survive in dry foods. In recent years, there have been several recalls of baby formula linked to outbreaks of Cronobacter. This is why the company prefers to manufacture its formula in Germany, which just so happens to be the birthplace of powdered infant formula. Chief marketing officer Meika Hollender explained to TechCrunch that the company's manufacturing partner utilizes technology 'that doesn't exist anywhere else in the world,' she said. 'A critical piece of infant formula, in terms of its shelf life, is how much oxygen gets into the can while you're sealing it. So if you go to facilities in the U.S., they're open. When you're filling, canning, and sealing the can, they're just sort of out in the open air of the facility. And at our facility, the cans actually go into this chamber that has no oxygen in them,' Hollender said. Nara has secured a total of $32 million from AlleyCorp, BBG Ventures, Corazon Ventures, Gingerbread Capital, and Torch Capital. Additionally, the company has attracted attention from high-profile celebrity investors, including tennis superstar Serena Williams, 'Jane the Virgin' actress Gina Rodriguez, and the creators of 'Nobody Wants This,' Erin and Sara Foster, among others. Nicky Hilton, fashion designer and philanthropist, is also an investor and advisor. 'I breastfed all of my three children, but they also all had formula,' Hilton told us. 'Every baby and parent is different, and not all mothers are able to breastfeed due to medical, physical, or personal reasons. I think there's so much judgment and unnecessary pressure about breastfeeding… It's really exciting to be a part of an innovative brand that is disrupting the baby formula market.' With this support, Nara Organics could position itself as a key player in the organic formula market, which was valued at approximately $20.7 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach $37 billion by 2032. Image Credits:Nara Organics The formula is now available for purchase on the company's website. Customers can choose the starter bundle for $36, which includes 2 cans. Alternatively, they can sign up for a subscription that delivers either 4 or 6 cans every 4 weeks, priced at $136 or $243, respectively. Each can makes about 25 4-ounce bottles. It can also be purchased through the company's free mobile app, which Hallam launched in 2018. The app is designed to assist users in tracking essential aspects of infant care, including monitoring baby feeding times, keeping a log of wet and soiled diapers, and tracking tummy time exercises. As part of its launch, the company is donating over 1,400 cans of infant formula to the Good+ Foundation, a nonprofit organization working to end multi-generational poverty by supplying essential items and services to under-resourced parents and caregivers.
The Verge
18 minutes ago
- The Verge
The dangerously blurry line between wellness and medical tech
Few things scratch my brain like a good beef. Kendrick vs. Drake. Justin Baldoni vs. Blake Lively. On my beat, it's usually two companies fighting over health tech patents. So-and-so copied a feature from so-and-so. The latest dispute on my radar is all about semantics. More specifically, the exact meaning of wellness. Let me catch you up. On July 15th, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent Whoop a letter. In it, the FDA declared that Whoop — maker of a niche fitness tracker favored by elite athletes — had crossed a line. Its new Blood Pressure Insights feature, the regulator said, was being marketed to customers without undergoing the proper clearance process. In response, Whoop pulled out the W word: wellness. In the world of health and wearable tech, 'wellness' is sort of like a 'get out of jail free' card. Some advanced health features, like EKGs and atrial fibrillation notifications, require regulatory clearance before consumers can use them. These features could be interpreted as diagnostic in nature or prompt a person to make a medical decision. Others, like step tracking and blood oxygen measurements, don't require FDA oversight at all. They're simply meant to make living a healthy life easier by helping you visualize certain measurable markers. Those features fall under the wellness umbrella. They're 'just for fun.' Whoop's Blood Pressure Insights feature, however, lies in murkier territory. The way Whoop's feature works is that a user takes readings with a regular blood pressure cuff for calibration. Once that process is complete, Whoop says its tracker uses metrics like 'heart rate, heart rate variability, and blood flow patterns during sleep' to give an estimate of a person's systolic and diastolic blood pressure each morning. The FDA contends that 'providing blood pressure estimation is not a low-risk function' and that a blood pressure estimate inherently implies you're diagnosing hypo- or hypertension. In a statement, Whoop says it 'respectfully disagree[s]' and that this particular feature is more akin to tracking your sleeping respiratory rate. Under the wellness umbrella, Whoop argues it's able to bring an innovative feature to the masses more quickly. Whoop and the FDA both have points. It's not a stretch to think that a user may get a few 'high' blood pressure estimates, assume they have high blood pressure, and make health decisions informed by that assumption. At the same time, it's clearly labeled as a beta feature, and similar 'diagnostic adjacent' features are available without FDA regulation. I've lost count of how many sleep trackers claim to track 'breathing disturbances.' That may not be explicitly marketed as a sleep apnea detection metric (that would require FDA clearance), but that's semantics. The obvious reason to include it is to flag when a person might want to check themselves for sleep apnea. The crux of it all is identifying high- and low-risk features for causing harm. Many cases are clear-cut. Natural Cycles, for example, is a period tracking app that claims you can use it as digital contraception using temperature data from wearables like the Oura Ring. It's obvious that a regulatory body should vet a high-stakes feature like that. On the flip side, Samsung's new Antioxidant Index feature for its Galaxy Watch 8 is a silly metric that tells you whether you've eaten enough fruits and veggies. Even if it's inaccurate as hell (I was able to fool it by scanning a Cheez-It), it's not likely to harm your health. Where the FDA's current process falls short is the increasing number of features that lie somewhere in the middle. Take the Oura Ring. A friend just asked me whether they should get one based on a TikTok video. In said video, celebrity DJ Dillon Francis says the main reason he has an Oura Ring is because it predicts when he's getting sick. This is the Symptom Radar feature, which, in simple terms, flags when you might be getting sick — and it's based on real clinical research conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. It sounds diagnostic, which requires FDA clearance. But it's not. It's considered a wellness feature because it doesn't tell you what you're falling ill with — just that you might be showing 'early signs of a health change.' And while there's a distinct difference between a diagnosis and a heads-up, it can feel awfully similar to a layperson. Also, Whoop isn't the only company exploring blood pressure tech. Samsung has a similar feature that's unavailable in the US, as it hasn't been cleared by the FDA. According to Bloomberg, Apple has also been working on an Apple Watch feature that flags when your blood pressure spikes above your baseline, but it reportedly won't spit out direct readings like a continuous glucose monitor would — possibly to avoid FDA clearance as a 'wellness' feature. Perhaps that means it's time we acknowledge that wellness isn't an innocuous word anymore. Beyond blood pressure, Samsung and Apple are also widely rumored to be working on blood glucose monitoring features, where the stakes for diabetics could be sky-high. If or when those features do become available, it's possible that companies will adjust how they work to more broadly fit under a wellness label. For instance, instead of glucose readings, you get a trend line or score. I'm skeptical of the average person being able to discern the nuance when even seasoned tech journalists sometimes struggle with the correct verbiage. Maybe it seems silly to sound the alarm over semantics. But as politicians advocate for greater wearable adoption, the stakes have never been higher. In a better, ideal world, companies would abolish phrases like 'clinically proven' or 'medical grade' from marketing. The FDA would figure out a clearer framework for the design of a wellness feature versus a medical one. But we don't live in an ideal world — and that means it's up to the consumer to know the difference. Frankly, that's not going so well. Perhaps that means it's time we acknowledge that wellness isn't an innocuous word anymore. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Victoria Song Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Analysis Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Features Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Fitness Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Gadgets Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Health Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Science Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Wearable
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
AscellaHealth HUB Partnership with Abeona Therapeutics® Supports Launch Success of Novel Cell-Based Gene Therapy and Access to Treatment for Rare Disease Patients
BERWYN, Pa., July 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AscellaHealth, a global partner delivering customizable solutions to support the specialty pharmaceutical industry, highlights the value of its HUB partnership with Abeona Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: ABEO) in the successful pre-and-post launch commercialization of ZEVASKYN™, an FDA-approved cell-based gene therapy. Working as a collaborative partner, AscellaHealth designed and executed patient-centric, end-to-end solutions to address unique clinical, operational and reimbursement needs for a new-to-world autologous cell-based gene therapy. By focusing on the requirements of patients throughout the entire therapeutic journey, AscellaHealth led the collaborative effort to build and launch AbeonaAssist™, a highly customized patient support program that creates a seamless experience for patients, caregivers and healthcare providers. "Abeona's groundbreaking cell-based gene therapy demanded a HUB partner who could build tailored infrastructure from the ground up,' said William White, Vice President of Market Access at Abeona Therapeutics. 'AscellaHealth's comprehensive expertise in navigating this complex journey, from patient and provider engagement to optimizing reimbursement for this first-of-its-kind treatment, made them the unequivocal partner of choice. Since launch, their unwavering commitment to a patient-centric model, which perfectly aligns with our program's vision, has proven invaluable.' Bill Oldham, Chairman and President, AscellaHealth, says, 'We value our strategic partnership with Abeona which is built upon an aligned vision, a foundation of shared goals and a clear understanding of what can be achieved through collaboration. Together, we have created synergies that not only benefit both organizations, but most importantly, patient access to treatment and optimized clinical outcomes. Abeona epitomizes our description of an ideal partner that is committed to open communications, trust and transparency.' AscellaHealth's integrated patient services and HUB model are proving instrumental in achieving optimal results for life science manufacturers launching specialty pharmaceuticals, and cell and gene therapies for individuals with complex, chronic conditions and rare disease. The results highlight enhanced compliance, retention and satisfaction rates, underscoring the effectiveness of AscellaHealth's tailored programs that consistently deliver measurable outcomes:About ZEVASKYN™ (prademagene zamikeracel) gene-modified cellular sheets ZEVASKYN is the first and only autologous cell sheet-based gene therapy for the treatment of wounds in adult and pediatric patients with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB). RDEB is a severe skin disease caused by a defect in both copies of the COL7A1 gene resulting in the inability to produce functional type VII collagen. Without functional type VII collagen and anchoring fibrils, the skin is fragile and blisters easily, leading to wounds that continually open and close, or fail to heal altogether. Patients often have large open wounds that can lead to serious life-threatening complications. ZEVASKYN incorporates the functional type VII collagen-producing COL7A1 gene into a patient's own skin cells, ex vivo, using a replication-incompetent retroviral vector to produce functional type VII collagen in treated wounds. ZEVASKYN has demonstrated clinically meaningful wound healing and pain reduction with a single surgical application. For more information, visit Indication ZEVASKYN™ (prademagene zamikeracel) is an autologous cell sheet-based gene therapy indicated for the treatment of wounds in adult and pediatric patients with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB). Important Safety Information Serious allergic reactions to ZEVASKYN can occur. Patients should get medical help right away if they experience symptoms like itching, swelling, hives, difficulty breathing, runny nose, watery eyes, or nausea. In rare cases, a severe reaction called anaphylaxis may happen. There is a potential risk that treatment with ZEVASKYN may contribute to the development of cancer because of how the therapy works. Patients should be monitored for the rest of their lives to check for any signs of cancer. ZEVASKYN is made using human and animal materials. Although these materials are tested before use, the risk of passing on infections cannot be eliminated. The most common side effects are pain from the procedure and itching. This is not a complete list of side effects. Patients should call their care team for medical advice about side effects. Side effects may be reported to Abeona at 1-844-888-2236 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or See full Prescribing Information. About AscellaHealth AscellaHealth is a global partner that delivers proven end-to-end solutions to both life sciences and healthcare companies to enhance the quality of life for patients with complex, chronic conditions. A dedicated team gets critical healthcare products from manufacturers to patients while ensuring an efficient flow of funds between payers and pharma. Visit About Abeona TherapeuticsAbeona Therapeutics Inc. is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company developing cell and gene therapies for serious diseases. Abeona's ZEVASKYN™ (prademagene zamikeracel) is the first and only autologous cell-based gene therapy for the treatment of wounds in adults and pediatric patients with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB). The Company's fully integrated cGMP cell and gene therapy manufacturing facility in Cleveland, Ohio serves as the manufacturing site for ZEVASKYN commercial production. The Company's development portfolio features adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapies for ophthalmic diseases with high unmet medical need. Abeona's novel, next-generation AAV capsids are being evaluated to improve tropism profiles for a variety of devastating diseases. For more information, visit ZEVASKYN™, Abeona Assist™, Abeona Therapeutics®, and their related logos are trademarks of Abeona Therapeutics Inc. Media: Caroline Chambers CPR Communicationscchambers@ x 21 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at This press release was published by a CLEAR® Verified in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
