Curry fans have been warned that a dish sold nationwide at Walmart may contain allergens that could be potentially deadly for some customers.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alert on Friday amid fears that a Thai-style curry chicken bao bun, produced by Wow Bao, may contain soy and sesame. Neither of those allergens are declared in the ingredients label. Bao buns are a Chinese dish that can be stuffed with different fillings, with Wow Bao manufacturing buns containing Chinese dishes such as kung pao chicken, along with foods from around the world, including Japanese-style teriyaki chicken and Mongolian-style spicy beef.
It is the Thai-style dish that has sparked the allergen alert by the FSIS. Soy and sesame are two of the nine foods that account for the most serious allergic reactions in the United States, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The other major allergens include peanuts, shellfish, eggs, milk, fish, wheat, and tree nuts. Allergic consumers may experience a range of symptoms of varying severity, such as a swollen tongue, hives, or vomiting. But in the most extreme cases, consumers may suffer from anaphylaxis, which can lead to death.
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The problem with the Wow Bao product was discovered when a consumer complained that their box of Thai-style curry chicken buns actually contained another product instead, according to the FSIS. “The product labeled as bao curry chicken may actually contain teriyaki chicken bao products, which contain soy and sesame, known allergens, which are not declared on the product label,” the alert explained.
The products in question are the company’s 10-oz. boxes containing four “BAO THAI-STYLE CURRY CHICKEN” with the “best if used by” date “4/12/25” printed on the side of the box. The product is also stamped with the number “P-40001” inside the USDA mark of inspection.
The fully cooked, frozen bao curry chicken products were packaged on March 20, 2024. These items were then shipped to Walmart stores nationwide.
There have been “no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products,” the FSIS said, adding: “Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider.”
Although the incorrect packaging issue has been addressed, the FSIS is concerned that some are still likely to be sitting in customers’ freezers at home. The products “should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase,” the FSIS said.
Newsweek has reached out by email to Wow Bao seeking further information and comment, although a response was not expected immediately because it was outside of normal working hours.
Consumers with questions about the public health alert should contact Brandon Tammaro, VP Strategic Growth at Wow Bao, on 888-496-9226 or email him at contactus@wowbao.com.
The public health alert is different to an official recall, which involves products being pulled from shelves and customers urged to return items to the stores.
“A recall was not requested because the affected product is no longer available for purchase,” the FSIS explained.
Recalls are issued if there are concerns that a food product may be harmful in some way, such as when testing reveals that products are infected with potentially deadly bacteria, or amid fears that foods could be contaminated with a foreign object from the manufacturing process. There have been several high-profile recalls lately, for example, an urgent recall was issued when manufacturers discovered their raspberry cookies actually contained hazelnuts—a potentially deadly allergen to those allergic to nuts.
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