The U.S. Food and Drug Administration FDA has issued a nationwide recall for the Authentik Fudge brand’s chocolate fudge with nuts variety over fears that the batch may be contaminated with mold.
According to the FDA’s site, the recall went out on Wednesday, August 21 for 840 packages of the fudge, which is made in Canada. The packages are labeled “Montreal Fudge.”
Supplied images on the FDA site can help consumers identify the brand. The fudge is sold in small 5.6 ounce boxes with orange and white colors. Three pieces of fudge with nuts stacked on top of each other are featured on the front of the boxes. The words “individually wrapped” appear on the label.
The recall was sparked after a consumer complained to Authentik Fudge that they found mold on pieces of the wrapped candies despite having stored the box in the refrigerator. The company investigated, and according to the FDA, found that some fudge that was still at the factory awaiting wrapping and packaging had “the beginning signs of mold” on it. No one has reported any illness related to consuming the fudge.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, some kinds of mold on foods can indeed be dangerous, and it is difficult to know which types are simply by visual inspection. The visible mold often seen on stale bread, for example, is only the tip of the iceberg. The entire product may be contaminated with invisible mold spores, and some of these produce dangerous “mycotoxins.” Mold alone can cause allergic reactions like respiratory problems, but mycotoxins are poisonous.
The contaminated Authentik Fudge was sent to retailers across the United States on June 19 and 20. In all, 40 states received the products, which are sold in some TJ Maxx and Marshalls stores. The FDA’s site, linked above, has a full list of the states.
Customers can know for sure if they’ve bought a contaminated box by looking at the lot numbers and codes printed on the backs of the boxes. These codes are:
Lot 0241500805, expiration date 2025/MR/01
Lot 0241690105, expiration date 2025/MR/17
Lot 0241690205, expiration date 2025/MR/17.
The company is asking anyone who bought the candy to either destroy it or to return it to the store where it was purchased for a refund.
