By: KJ Mushung,
Newspaper Training Director

It’s exam week at many colleges, budgets are tight, and no student is going to cook a three-course meal when the possibility of repeating some degree requirement is hanging over them. Thus, the aroma of popcorn and pizza can be smelled down the hall from many a dorm room. But that popcorn might not be the best choice for those who have an allergy to dairy.

Orville Redenbacher’s Classic Kettle Korn flavor ready-to-eat popcorn is being recalled because it may contain an undeclared allergen — milk. Certain bags of the kettle korn-flavored ready-to-eat popcorn may have inadvertently been filled with white cheddar-flavored popcorn, which contains milk. The milk allergen is not listed on the Kettle Korn’s product label, so unsuspecting consumers, be they college students or your mom, could be purchasing them.

Even if milk were added to the label, people with a milk allergy who have had this type of popcorn before might assume it’s safe for them to eat and not check the label before making subsequent purchases of the product.

There have been no illnesses reported to date in connection with this product, according to a press release by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Reportedly 14,000 cases of the kettle korn-flavored ready-to-eat popcorn were distributed nationwide.

The issue was discovered after a consumer found white cheddar-flavored popcorn in a Kettle Korn package and contacted ConAgra Foods, Inc., which then notified the FDA.

The recall is limited to Orville Redenbacher’s Classic Kettle Korn flavor ready-to-eat popcorn packaged in 5.0-ounce and 1.5-ounce red bags bearing the following UPC and sell by dates. The UPC code is printed on the back of each bag in the lower left corner. The sell by date is also printed on the back of the bag, in the upper right corner.

Orville Redenbacher’s Classic Kettle Korn 5.0-ounce packages:
Case UPC: 27000 52321
Unit UPC: 0 27000 52321 6
Lot Codes: 5486234100, 5486234200, 5486234300
Best By Dates: SEP 02 2013, SEP 03 2013, SEP 04 2013

Orville Redenbacher’s Classic Kettle Korn 1.5-ounce packages:
Case UPC: 27000 52325
Unit UPC: 0 27000 52325 4
Lot Codes: 5486234200, 5486234300
Best By Dates: SEP 03 2013, SEP 04 2013

A release from the FDA instructs consumers who have purchased the product to destroy it. Although simply throwing it out might be a little less violent, why not take the opportunity to relieve some of that exam stress?

By: KJ Mushung

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