A Trader Joe's Breakfast Sausage Has Been Recalled Over Undeclared Allergens

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced on Friday that a chicken breakfast sausage sold at Trader Joe's stores has been recalled due to undeclared allergens that could potentially sicken unsuspecting consumers.

DiLuigi Foods Inc., the company that manufactures the sausages, is recalling approximately 3,448 pounds of the product because it contains soy lecithin, an allergen not included on the label.

The products affected were sold between August 10 and August 24 of this year.

According to the USDA, the problem was discovered during a routine inspection of product labeling. Though no allergic reactions to the breakfast sausages have been confirmed yet, DiLuigi Foods is recalling the product out of caution for consumers' safety.

Soy lecithin is a common additive ingredient that's used to make oil and water mix together a little better. It's seen in products such as mayonnaise, chocolate, and anything else that contains a large amount of oil. Since it contains some soy proteins (which some people are allergic to), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has labeled it as a "major food allergen," but according to the Food Allergy Research and Resource Program (FARRP) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), it may not contain enough allergens to provoke an allergic reaction.

You may not have an allergic reaction if you eat TJ's breakfast sausages and you happen to be allergic. However, it's better to be safe than sorry, and DiLuigi Foods is taking steps to make sure that no unknowing customers are harmed.

For more information about the recall, head to the USDA's website.