Being a potential high-risk level for American consumers, government regulators have issued an urgent recall of a Chinese-imported coffee creamer.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has placed its highest risk warning on the MO-CHA brand “non-dairy” creamer that actually contains milk ingredients without proper labeling.
The MO-CHA brand Premium Non-Dairy Creamer, imported from China by Momo Tea Inc., has been voluntarily recalled after it was discovered that it contains undeclared milk ingredients.
This week, the FDA classified this as a Class I recall, their most serious designation, indicating potential life-threatening consequences for unsuspecting consumers with milk allergies.
Approximately 4,500 cases of the mislabeled creamer were distributed throughout New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
Despite clear federal regulations requiring allergens like milk to be prominently labeled on packaging, this Chinese import failed to disclose that it contains both whey powder and casein.
This milk-derived ingredient can trigger severe allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.
The pull was initially triggered on April 10, but the FDA’s official classification was not released until almost two weeks later.
This time gap raises concerns about how quickly the regulatory agencies respond to potentially dangerous food safety issues, especially regarding products imported from countries with questionable safety standards.
Medical experts emphasized the serious nature of milk allergies, which affect up to three percent of American children and two percent of adults.
For those with severe allergies, consuming products with hidden milk ingredients can lead to life-threatening anaphylaxis.
This severe reaction can cause difficulty breathing, a dangerous drop in blood pressure, and even death if not treated immediately with epinephrine.
Moreover, the affected product was packaged in 2.2-pound bags, with the innocent-sounding “non-dairy” designation misleading consumers who rely on accurate labeling to protect their health.
The agency defined a Class I recall as “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.”
This incident highlights persistent concerns about food imports from China and American regulatory agencies’ challenges in protecting consumers.
With allergic reactions to foods increasing dramatically over recent decades, proper labeling is not just a regulatory requirement but a critical safety measure protecting vulnerable Americans.
Consumers who purchased this product should immediately discard it or return it to the place of purchase.
