Another manufacturing blunder has put unsuspecting Americans at risk as thousands of mislabeled products made it to the shelves.
Specifically, coffee drinkers’ health is in possible danger after packages of “decaffeinated” coffee containing caffeine hit stores across 15 states.
While regulators took nearly two weeks to classify this dangerous mislabeling as merely a “Class II” recall, vulnerable consumers with health conditions remain at risk from products they trusted to be safe.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is overseeing the recall of 692 cases (totaling 4,152 packages) of Our Family-branded Traverse City Cherry coffee that was falsely labeled as decaffeinated.
The product actually contains caffeine, creating potential health dangers for consumers with heart conditions, pregnant women, and those taking certain medications who specifically purchased these products to avoid caffeine.
The affected coffee was packaged in 12-ounce bags with UPC code 0 70253 11080 1 and marked “BEST BEFORE 080325 V 15:37 C.”
It was distributed across Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Although manufacturer Massimo Zanetti Beverage USA initiated the recall in mid-March, the FDA did not classify it until now–almost two weeks later.
Even more concerning, the company failed to issue a public press release about the dangerous mislabeling, leaving it buried in FDA bulletins instead of actively warning consumers.
The health risks are serious for many Americans. Consuming caffeine when specifically trying to avoid it can cause irregular heartbeat, elevated blood pressure, and dangerous interactions with medications.
For those with heart problems or high blood pressure, this mislabeling could create life-threatening situations.
The FDA wrote:
“Decaffeinated coffees and teas have less caffeine than their regular counterparts, but still contain some caffeine. For example, decaf coffee typically has 2 to 15 milligrams in an 8 fluid-ounce cup. If you react strongly to caffeine in a negative way, you may want to avoid these beverages altogether.”
The agency warns that symptoms of excessive caffeine consumption include increased heart rate, heart palpitations, high blood pressure, insomnia, anxiety, jitters, upset stomach, nausea, and headache.
For Americans with pre-existing conditions who trusted this product to be caffeine-free, these symptoms could be more than just uncomfortable–they could be dangerous.
“If you have health problems or take medications, pay extra attention to how much caffeine you’re having,” the FDA added.
Despite the serious nature of this recall, consumers have been left in the dark about what to do with the potentially dangerous product.
The FDA and the manufacturer failed to provide specific instructions for handling the recalled coffee, adding confusion to an already concerning situation.
Our Family Foods describes itself as a “purpose-driven brand committed to quality and community connection,” claiming that its “commitment to quality has remained the same, generation after generation.”
Still, the company provided no immediate response when approached for comment about this serious mislabeling issue.
