On April 9, 2024, the FDA issued a Warning Letter to Lipari Foods Operating Company, LLC following multiple complaints and subsequent product recalls in August and September of 2023, which found the company did not follow the requirements of Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP), Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation.

The agency noted violations such as failure to identify and implement food allergen controls at the packaging/labeling step to significantly minimize the hazard of undeclared allergens. For example, the company previously recalled IO Inspired Organics brand Organic Raw Walnut Halves & Pieces because the product was mislabeled with a bottom identifying the product as cashews and did not declare walnuts in the ingredient or “Contains” statements. Additional violations of the same nature occurred again in August and twice in September.

Products were also deemed to be misbranded because they contain major allergens but do not have the common or usual name of the major food allergen in the list of ingredients or have the word “Contains” followed by the name of the food source from which the allergen is derived.

The company must respond to the FDA in writing within 15 days of receipt of the warning explaining the specific steps taken to address these violations.

See ConsumerLab’s Review of Shelled Walnuts for tests of related products.

For more information, use the link below.

Warning: Lipari Foods Operating Company, LLC

See related recalls and warnings:

Lone Star Botanicals Warned by FDA for Manufacturing Violations

Elite One Source Nutritional Services Warned for Manufacturing, Labeling Violations

Bobo’s Peach Oat Bars Recalled Due to Undeclared Coconut

Hu Vanilla Crunch Dark Chocolate Bars Recalled Due to Allergen Risk

SimplyProtein Bars Recalled Due to Undeclared Cashews