Salad Dressings Sold At Aldi Recalled Over 'Life-Threatening' Allergy Risk

A company is voluntarily recalling certain salad dressings sold at Aldi stores nationwide due to a mix-up with labels that may prompt "life-threatening" allergy risks.

The problem with TreeHouse Foods' Tuscan Garden-branded Restaurant Style Italian Dressing was discovered after the company received two complaints "at the store level," according to the announcement on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website.

The recalled products may have labels that say, "Restaurant Style Italian Dressing," but some of the bottles may actually contain Asian Sesame Dressing. More than just a label mix-up, the problem is that the label notes egg and dairy as the allergens present in the product when the possible content — Asian Sesame Dressing — actually contains soy and wheat.

This could be problematic for consumers who have soy or wheat allergies.

Both wheat and soybeans are among the eight major food groups that account for 90% of food allergies, according to the FDA. Under the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) of 2004, foods or ingredients that contain these eight major allergens are required to specifically list them "in clear language" on the labels "to make it easier for consumers who are allergic to foods and their caregivers to identify and avoid foods that contain major food allergens."

"People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to soy or wheat run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product," the company noted in its press release.

As such, those who may be in possession of the recalled products are advised to not consume them. Instead, customers may dispose of the salad dressings or take them back to the store where they were bought to get a full refund.

The recall affects one lot of the Tuscan Garden Restaurant Style Italian Dressing products with the UPC number 4099100074871 and "best if used by" date of Aug. 10, 2023. They were distributed via Aldi stores nationwide from Aug. 23 to Sept. 23.

"No other varieties or UPC numbers are included in this recall," the announcement clarified. "At this time, TreeHouse has not received any reports of an allergic reaction associated with this product."

Those with questions about the recall may call 800-596-2902.