Recall Cancelled for Granola Product After Third Party Laboratory Error Falsely Identified Coconut

Grandy Organics of Hiram Maine cancelled their recall posted on October 5, 2023, after due determining the third-party laboratory provided faulty testing and false results. Grandy Organics Honey Oat Granola deemed safe for consumption.

From the report,

"Grandy Organics provided repacked samples of the product to the potential distributor who in turn had it tested at their labs for their own Quality Assurance records. Friday November 3rd the distributor informed Grandy Organics that traces of coconut were discovered at 6 parts per million in the Gluten Free Honey Oat sample they were given. Because coconut is a dangerous allergen, Grandy moved quickly.

“I immediately contacted the FDA for guidance, visited our facility to prepare for further testing- both in house and at a certified lab and quickly prepared to notify any sales customers who had received the affected product. We issued a press release, recalled the affected cases, and informed our Direct customers immediately. The thought that Grandy’s products, which we make with such pride, could harm anyone left me sleepless for days,” said Grandy’s owner and Chief Granola Officer, Aaron Anker.

Concurrently, Grandy sent two additional batches of product out for testing to confirm there was no further contamination. What they learned from the third-party lab was incredible: There are known cross-reactivity events with certain ingredients that can cause a false positive when testing for the coconut allergen. Lab technicians are, in fact, trained to use a different testing procedure when these ingredients are present. Once the correct procedures were run, Grandy was notified that all products sent for testing were, in fact, free of allergens, as is stated on Grandy’s packaging."

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/grandy-organics-cancels-recall-gluten-free-honey-oat-granola-third-party-laboratory-error-resulted

Grandy Organics Cancels Recall of Gluten Free Honey Oat Granola. Third Party Laboratory Error Resulted in Falsley Identifying Presence of Coconut
Summary
Company Announcement Date: November 09, 2023
FDA Publish Date: November 09, 2023
Product Type: Food & Beverages
Reason for Announcement: CORRECTION
Company Name: Grandy Organics
Brand Name: Grandy Organics
Product Description: Gluten Free Honey Oat Granola

Company Announcement

The company has issued an update to their previous announcement

Grandy Organics, an organic granola company in rural Maine, worked with FDA to cancel the Gluten Free Honey Oat Granola recall due to faulty testing and false results. Grandy Organics Honey Oat Granola deemed safe for consumption.

Hiram, Maine (November 9, 2023) – Grandy Organics, makers of organic granolas, nuts and trail mixes based in the rural town of Hiram, Maine, announced today that they have retracted their recall of Gluten Free Honey Oat Granola that was publicized over the weekend. After proper testing and cooperation with the FDA, all Grandy Organics products, including Gluten Free Honey Oat Granola, are proven safe to consume.

Grandy Organics provided repacked samples of the product to the potential distributor who in turn had it tested at their labs for their own Quality Assurance records. Friday November 3rd the distributor informed Grandy Organics that traces of coconut were discovered at 6 parts per million in the Gluten Free Honey Oat sample they were given. Because coconut is a dangerous allergen, Grandy moved quickly.

“I immediately contacted the FDA for guidance, visited our facility to prepare for further testing- both in house and at a certified lab and quickly prepared to notify any sales customers who had received the affected product. We issued a press release, recalled the affected cases, and informed our Direct customers immediately. The thought that Grandy’s products, which we make with such pride, could harm anyone left me sleepless for days,” said Grandy’s owner and Chief Granola Officer, Aaron Anker.

Concurrently, Grandy sent two additional batches of product out for testing to confirm there was no further contamination. What they learned from the third-party lab was incredible: There are known cross-reactivity events with certain ingredients that can cause a false positive when testing for the coconut allergen. Lab technicians are, in fact, trained to use a different testing procedure when these ingredients are present. Once the correct procedures were run, Grandy was notified that all products sent for testing were, in fact, free of allergens, as is stated on Grandy’s packaging.

With the new results, proving that the product was free of all allergens, including coconut, the FDA reviewed the new data provided by Grandy and found no evidence of a violation and did not oppose Grandy Organics’ decision to retract their recall. “We are a small company,” said Aaron, “I am so proud of the way we rapidly responded, with the safety of customers and consumers as top priority, of course. We have a fantastic team and our team rose to the occasion. Our customers also reacted quickly. We are so happy that this is resolved.”

Grandy Organics is a company that prides itself in being an open book and completely transparent – with ingredient choices, business decisions, partnership decisions and more.

When a potential distributor reached out to tour Grandy’s facility in Maine, the team proudly opened their doors. And by doors, they mean a restored old schoolhouse that the team transformed into the solar-powered, EPA award-winning bakery that it is today. Grandy small batches all their products themselves, one of the only granola companies in America to do so.

Grandy Organic, a leader in the organic granola space, will continue to provide only the highest quality, organic products to fuel their customers’ adventures. Please visit Grandyorganics.com to learn more about the company, their products, and their mission and values.