FDA Announces Recall of Popular Cookies Sold at All Lidl Stores

If you recently picked up cookies on a Lidl grocery run, check your pantry. On July
31, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published an expanded recall announcement of two varieties of Eridanous Shortbread Cookies because wheat, soy, milk, egg, and tree nut (coconut) allergens weren’t disclosed on their product packaging.

Lidl originally announced the recall on July 24, because the cookies had foreign-language packaging that not only omitted this important allergen info, but also didn’t list nutrition facts and ingredients in English.

Lidl distributed the cookies to all of its U.S. locations, encompassing 9 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. The 8 states affected are Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia.

Which cookies are being recalled?

All boxes of:

• Eridanous Shortbread Cookies with Chocolate Truffle Coating & Apricot Filling - 11.6 oz (330 g) box (UPC 4056489125839)
• Eridanous Shortbread Cookies with Apricot Filling and Cocoa Topping with Coconut Sprinkles - 11.6 oz (330 g) box (UPC 4056489125846)

These products were distributed between July 16 and July 29. Lidl expanded the recall because a supplier distribution records review discovered that additional units
of the coconut cookies potentially have the same English-language packaging
mistakes.

What’s the danger in eating these cookies?

No one has reported becoming sick so far, according to the FDA. However, if you have an allergy or sensitivity to wheat, soy, milk, egg, or tree nuts (coconut), you could have a reaction, and it could range from mild to severe.

Symptoms of a wheat allergy include:

• Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting
• Swelling, itching or irritation of your mouth or throat
• Hives, itchy rash or swelling of your skin
• Nasal congestion
• Headache
• Trouble breathing
• Anaphylaxis

Symptoms of a soy allergy include:

• Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting
• Coughing or tightness in your throat
• Hives, itching, or eczema
• Indigestion
• Anaphylaxis

Symptoms of a milk allergy include:

• Abdominal pain, diarrhea (which may contain blood), nausea, or vomiting
• Hives
• Wheezing, coughing, or shortness of breath
• Itching or tingling feeling around the lips or mouth
• Swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat
• Runny nose or watery eyes
• Colic, in babies

Symptoms of an egg allergy include:

• Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting
• Hives
• Stuffy or runny nose and sneezing
• Coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath

Symptoms of a tree nut allergy include:

• Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting
• Hives, itching, or eczema
• Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting
• Swelling of your lips, face, tongue, and throat or other parts of your body
• Tingling or itching in your mouth
• Wheezing, nasal congestion, or trouble breathing
• Difficulty swallowing
• Anaphylaxis

Symptoms of a coconut allergy include:

• Hives, skin rash, itching
• Nausea or diarrhea
• Dizziness
• Coughing
• Sneezing, runny nose, or watery eyes
• Swelling in the throat or difficulty swallowing
• Shortness of breath
• Fast or slow heartbeat
• Anaphylaxis

What should you do if you bought these cookies?

Don’t eat them. You can throw them away or take them back to a Lidl store for a full refund (you don’t need your receipt). If you have any questions about the recall, call the Lidl U.S. Customer Care Hotline at (844) 747-5435, Monday to Saturday between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. ET.

If you have already eaten the cookies, monitor yourself for any reactions, and if you do feel ill, contact your doctor. Call 911 if you have serious symptoms like trouble breathing or a changing heartbeat.