F.D.A. Upgrades Recall of Some Cal Yee Chocolates to Highest Risk Level

The Food and Drug Administration has upgraded its December recall of some chocolate- and yogurt-covered products made by Cal Yee Farm to its highest level of severity.

The agency warned this week of potentially serious, or even deadly, consequences from eating the products for those who have an allergy or sensitivity to almonds, milk, sesame, soy, wheat and the synthetic dye FD&C No. 6.

Cal Yee Farm of Suisun Valley, Calif., began voluntarily recalling some of its products on Dec. 12 because they were mislabeled, and contained ingredients that were not listed on their packages.

No illnesses have been reported. The recall began after an F.D.A. inspection of Cal Yee Farm’s manufacturing plant.

The products subject to the highest-level recall include: certain packages of dark chocolate almonds, dark chocolate apricots, dark chocolate raisins and dark chocolate walnuts. Some packages of New Orleans hot mix, Cajun sesame hot sticks, tropical trail mix and yogurt-coated almonds were also affected.

Products were sold under the Cal Yee’s or Cal Yee Farm brands.

Cal Yee Farm said that the affected products were sold at two retail stores, in Suisun Valley, Calif., and Placerville, Calif.; and through online and phone orders to Arizona, California, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

The company said that customers with those allergies and sensitivities who bought the affected products should not eat them. It recommended throwing them away, or returning them to Cal Yee Farm for a full refund. It said the labeling problem has since been fixed.

The F.D.A. has three classifications for recalls, and this week’s reclassification, or update, is a standard part of the process, according to the agency.

Class I, the most severe notice that was assigned to Cal Yee, is “a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death,” the agency said.

The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 identifies milk as one of eight major food allergens. The others are crustacean shellfish, eggs, fish, peanuts, soybeans, tree nuts and wheat.