Good & Gather's Dried Strawberries Recalled Over Possibility Of Unlisted Sulfites

SunTree Snack Foods has issued a voluntary recall of their Good & Gather Dried Sweetened Strawberries. The reason, as given by a press release shared with the FDA, is the presence of undeclared sulfites discovered by the state of Florida's Department of Agriculture. This recall will be felt in Target stores across the country.

The specific products subject to the recall are four-ounce pouches with the lot codes 88514 and 86061. The former have a UPC of 085239182840 and the best by dates from the first of 10/01/2022, 10/04 – 10/07/2022, and 10/11 – 10/14/2022. The latter have a UPC 085239182840 and a best by date of 09/01/2022.

The FDA shares that no illnesses have been reported yet, but sulfites are an allergen that can provoke life-threatening reactions to those allergic to them. Per Healthline, those sensitive to sulfites may react with headaches but those with an allergy, although rare, could suffer from hives, swelling, gastrointestinal effects, and even anaphylaxis. 

The Miami Herald writes that customers who are not allergic to sulfites or expect to host anyone with such an allergy can keep and even eat the strawberries. Those who want to err on the side of caution can either return them to Target or trash them.

The presence of sulfites may sound scary to those who have not heard about them before. But while sulfites are indeed dangerous to those who are allergic and have asthma, the Cleveland Clinic states that it's unusual for those who aren't asthmatic to have a sensitivity to sulfites. Unusual doesn't mean impossible though.

Moving onto what the chemical-sounding word is, sulfites are a preservative. They are most commonly found in wine as a byproduct of fermentation. In the 70s and 80s, sulfites could be found almost everywhere. However, in 1986, the FDA banned the use of sulfites in fresh fruits and vegetables as there was a spate of fatal reactions to eating such preserved foods from salad carts. They can still be used in dried fruits like SnackTree's strawberries, but the FDA requires them to declare the inclusion of sulfites if the presence of sulfites is at least 10 parts per million. If the idea of sulfites worries you, there are always alternative healthy snacks that you can buy.