A New York-based ice cream company has issued a recall for several containers due to the presence of a hazardous allergen not identified on the ingredients label.

Ice Cream Factory, located in Mount Vernon, NY, is recalling 40 pints, eight quarts, and three half gallons of their Vanilla G.Nutt ice cream because there may be undeclared almonds, as reported by the FDA.

For many of the millions of Americans with an almond allergy, consuming the ice cream could be extremely dangerous and may cause an anaphylactic reaction. This severe, whole-body allergic response can be fatal if emergency treatment is not administered promptly.

Such an allergy can be unpredictable. One single exposure to almonds may cause hives or an itchy mouth. Another exposure could cause a deadly allergic reaction.

Vanilla G.Nutt ice cream was distributed in New York State through Golden Krust retail stores in Mount Vernon and White Plains, New York, as well as Farm Country Supermarket in Queens, NY, via direct delivery.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

‘People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to tree nuts run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products,’ the FDA said.

An investigation revealed that the cause of the undeclared allergen was a temporary failure in the production and packaging line.

Vanilla G.Nutt ice cream is packaged in plastic pints and half gallons, and white paper-coated quart containers.

The pint UPC code is 8 56781 00361 3, the quart UPC code is 8 56781 00362 0 and the half-gallon UPC code is 8 56781 00363 7. The expiration date listed on each is March 2027.

‘Consumers who have purchased ice cream from any of the locations listed above are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund or another flavor,’ the FDA said.

Almonds fall under the category of tree nuts. Other tree nuts include Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, Japanese walnuts, pecans, pistachios and walnuts, including black, California, English and Persian walnuts.

An estimated 3.9million Americans are allergic to tree nuts, and an allergy to almonds is the third most common type, affecting between 9 and 15 percent of people with tree nut allergies.

Anaphylaxis is the result of the immune system overreacting to an allergen like proteins in nuts, causing hives, swelling, wheezing, shortness of breath and difficulty swallowing. 

A person experiencing an anaphylactic reaction can go into anaphylactic shock when their blood pressure drops dangerously low, leading to vital organs, especially the brain and heart, to become starved of oxygen-rich blood.

The throat, tongue, and voice box can swell shut, physically blocking any air from entering the lungs.

The muscles around the bronchial tubes in the lungs, which help carry air, constrict, squeezing the airways shut, suffocating the person to death. 

An epinephrine auto-injector, known as an EpiPen, is the first-line and most effective treatment to stop the progression of anaphylaxis. 

It is not a cure, but it is a life-saving emergency medication that can temporarily counteract the severe symptoms and buy critical time to get to a hospital. 

Hospitalizations due to anaphylaxis have risen dramatically in recent years, with tree nuts and seeds being a primary driver.

A 2018 report by Mayo Clinic researchers found that of more than 7,300 emergency department visits for allergic reactions between 2005 to 2014, tree nuts and seeds were responsible for the most significant increase, which surged by 373 percent.

While peanuts consistently accounted for the highest overall rate of visits, reactions to tree nuts saw the most exponential rise. The sharp increase was observed across all age groups but was particularly pronounced among adolescents.

Researchers are uncertain about the reasons behind the surge in ED visits, although they have observed in recent decades that people worldwide have more allergies than ever before.

A leading theory as to why is referred to as the Hygiene Hypothesis: that the global population has become so accustomed to living in such clean environments with limited exposure to microbes that people’s immune systems have been left untrained to differentiate between harmless and harmful substances.

An updated view of the hygiene hypothesis suggests that the key factor is not how clean someone’s home is, but rather the diversity of microorganisms to which their gut is exposed.

Having older siblings, for instance, is beneficial because it increases exposure to the family’s microbiota, particularly that of the mother. The microbes then colonize the gut and help prime the immune system.

According to the landmark LEAP Study conducted in London, early introduction of peanut products to high-risk infants can actually help prevent allergies, specifically peanut allergies. The findings indicate that early exposure via the gut can be an effective preventive strategy.

‘Food-induced anaphylaxis in children is an important national public health concern,’ the Mayo Clinic researchers concluded.