Two recalls of ground cumin due to undeclared peanut have occurred in the first week of April, 2015.
On April 1, Maya Overseas Food recalled ground cumin products after the New York company discovered that its 7-ounce bags marked “cumin powder” may contain peanut. The products were distributed to retail stores in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
A second cumin recall happened on April 6 when Best Foods Inc, a New Jersey company, recalled 7- and 14-ounce packages of Deer brand cumin powder, again for undeclared peanut. The cumin was distributed to the same states as the Maya recall, with the addition of Delaware.
According to FDA, the Maya recall “was initiated after it was discovered that the peanut-containing product was distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of peanuts,” and “the problem was caused by a temporary breakdown in the company’s production and packaging processes.”
Meanwhile, the more recent Best Foods recall began “after routine sampling and analysis by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets who found the product to contain peanuts.”
So far, no allergic reactions have been reported from products included in either recall.
Click to see the full FDA press releases: Maya Overseas Foods and Best Foods Inc.
If you have questions for the manufacturer, call: 718-894-5145 (Maya Overseas Foods) or 732-650-1300 ext 222 (Best Foods).
Update: Two more smaller recalls have been issued for peanut-contaminated cumin. America’s Best brand “(Jeera) Cumin Powder” distributed in Brooklyn, New York and Raja Foods “SWAD Cumin Powder” distributed in South Asian stores in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
To learn more about the mass recalls this year that have affected spice and packaged meat products read the article “Inside the Peanut-Tainted Cumin: What Happened“.
