A few weeks ago, we warned you of a salad dressing recall for a product sold at Whole Foods that contained two undeclared allergens: soy and wheat. That was the Van Law Whole Foods Market 365 Organic Creamy Caesar Dressing recall, which has now been expanded to include additional products.
On top of that, there’s another brand new salad dressing recall concerning the same health risks. TreeHouse Foods recalled one lot of Tuscan Garden Restaurant Style Italian Dressing. The product contains the same allergens — soy and wheat — but ti doesn’t list them in the ingredients.
TreeHouse Foods salad dressing recall
TreeHouse issued the salad dressing recall this week. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) press release is available at this link.
The company explains that the product has a Restaurant Style Italian Dressing label, but some bottles might contain Asian Sesame Dressing instead of Italian.
The Restaurant Style Italian Dressing label lists two allergens: egg and dairy. But the company’s Asian Sesame Dressing has soy and wheat. As a result, people with serious allergies to soy or wheat can experience life-threatening adverse reactions from eating Italian dressing bottles that actually contain Asian Sesame dressing.
TreeHouse discovered the problem after it received two complaints from the store level.
The company sold the salad dressing in this recall nationwide between August 23rd, 2022, and September 23rd, 2022, via Aldi stores. The following identifiers will help you determine if your Italian dressing supply is part of the recall:
- UPC: 4099100074871
- Best If Used By Date: 08/10/2023
Van Law salad dressing recall update
A day before the TreeHouse recall, Van Law issued an update to its early September recall action. The FDA has the announcement at this link.
The company says it’s expanding the recall of its Whole Foods Market 365 Organic Creamy Caesar Dressing. The product contains soy and wheat without listing the ingredients on the label.
The company has included Caesar dressing products with “BEST IF USED BY DATE” of SEP 21 22 through JUN 06 23 and the incorrect UPC Code 99482-49027 in the updated recall.
The original recall covered products with these identifiers: UPC code 99482-49027 and a best-by date of 04/06/2023.
Soy and wheat allergies
TreeHouse has not received any reports of allergic reactions connected to its salad dressing recall. Neither has Van Law. But the risk of allergic reactions remains for people who own these two products.
Anyone sensitive to soy or wheat will experience similar allergic reactions when consuming either salad dressing:
- Tingling or itching in the mouth
- Hives, itching, or eczema
- Swelling of the lips, face, tongue, throat, or other parts of the body
- Wheezing, nasal congestion, or trouble breathing
- Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting
- Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting
Severe soy and wheat allergies can lead to death via anaphylaxis, a condition that can make breathing impossible. Here’s how you recognize it:
- Constriction and tightening of the airways
- A swollen throat or the sensation of a lump in your throat that makes it difficult to breathe
- Shock with a severe drop in blood pressure
- Rapid pulse
- Dizziness, lightheadedness, or loss of consciousness
Separately, people sensitive to wheat or who have celiac disease will also experience symptoms after eating the salad dressing from either recall.
What you should do
People who are not allergic to soy and wheat and do not suffer from other wheat-related issues can continue to eat the salad dressing in these recalls. However, the products can be dangerous to visitors who might be sensitive to those ingredients.
Not to mention that the TreeHouse salad dressing likely isn’t what shoppers wanted when they purchased it. Buyers bought Italian dressing, but the packages may contain Asian Sesame dressing instead.
TreeHouse urges customers not to eat the salad dressing. Instead, they can dispose of the product or return it for a full refund. Van Law has a similar action in place.
Customers who experience health issues after consuming these salad dressings should check with their physicians.
The official FDA announcements will reveal more information about the two salad dressing recall actions, including contact information for the two companies. The TreeHouse recall is available at this link. You’ll find the updated Van Law recall over here.
