FDA Announces Multistate Recall on Halloween Candy—Here’s What You Need to Know

If you’ve already picked up some Halloween candy, here’s an important alert. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a company announcement on August 31 by Crystal Temptations of North Arlington, NJ, because its Halloween Chocolatey Eyeballs product contains undeclared milk allergens. The FDA reports that anyone who has a milk allergy or a severe milk sensitivity could risk a life-threatening reaction if they eat the candy.

The recalled product was sold in 13 states at Marshalls, T.J. Maxx, HomeGoods, and Sierra Trading Post. The states the candy was shipped to are Arizona, Texas, Virginia, Georgia, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Indiana, Nevada, California, New Jersey, Connecticut, Ohio, and Wyoming.

The recall was initiated after a T.J. Maxx analyst discovered that Chocolatey Eyeballs containing whey, a milk ingredient, had been distributed in packaging that did not disclose the presence of milk. It was then found that there had been a temporary disruption in Crystal Temptations’s production and packaging processes, which led to the error. Reassuring to know: No illnesses have been reported to date.

How can you tell which candy is being recalled?

Check any Crystal Temptations Chocolatey Eyeballs you have for the following style number and packaging details:

• Style number 54040-CHEY, “Crystal Temptations” plastic bag with designed header card—Chocolatey Eyeballs, 10 oz
•  Style number 54077-CHEY, “Crystal Temptations” acrylic box with designed paper wrap—Chocolatey Eyeballs, 7 oz
•  Style number 58008-CHEY, “Crystal Temptations” round plastic jar—Chocolatey Eyeballs, 10.5 oz
• Style number 58089-CHEY, “Crystal Temptations” designer plastic pouch bag—Chocolatey Eyeballs, 16 oz
• Style number 54083-CHEY, “Crystal Temptations” plastic bag tied with a tag—Chocolatey Eyeballs, 11 oz

What to know about a milk allergy or severe milk sensitivity?

According to Mayo Clinic, a milk allergy is an immune response. If you have this immune response, you can experience symptoms within a few minutes to a few hours of consuming milk, including:

•  Hives
• Wheezing
• Itchy or tingling  lips or mouth
• Swollen lips, tongue, or throat
• Coughing
• Shortness of breath
• Vomiting

In severe cases scenario, you could experience anaphylaxis, a life-threatening medical emergency with symptoms including:

• Constriction of your airways, so you can’t breathe
• Swollen throat
• Flushed face
• Itching
• Shock due to low blood pressure.

If you experience any signs of anaphylaxis, call 911 immediately. You need on-the-spot treatment with epinephrine, so if you carry an autoinjector like an EpiPen, use it right away. Emergency care is still necessary even if symptoms improve.

Contact your doctor if you experience non-emergency symptoms that could still indicate an allergy or sensitivity to milk, just to play it safe.

What to do if you bought the recalled candy?

Do not eat it. You can contact Crystal Temptations with proof of purchase for a refund by calling 1-201-246-7990, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.