Bimbo Bakeries USA Enters Standoff with FDA Over Sesame Labeling Warning Letter

Oct. 10, 2024

Although the company has clarified its tree nuts labeling, Bimbo says its sesame labeling is the best way to protect consumers from accidental consumption of the allergen in its products.

Andy Hanacek

Bimbo Bakeries USA has drawn a line in the allergen-labeling sand, according to news reports. In response to a June 2024 Food & Drug Administration (FDA) warning letter that scolded the company for saying certain Sara Lee- and Brownberry-branded products contained major food allergens when they did not, Bimbo is standing its ground.

According to an Associated Press report, Bimbo officials said they would not change their sesame labeling on products, despite the warning. Bimbo noted that it does process products containing sesame in some of its facilities, and it declares the allergen as an ingredient and uses the same packaging for all of those products in order to protect all consumers from accidental consumption of the allergen. Company officials told the AP it was a “conservative approach” to ensure consistent and protective labeling of products that were distributed nationally.

FDA told the AP it would respond to the company directly, and Bimbo could still face recalls, fines and criminal charges for not following through on changes detailed in the warning letter.

Although Bimbo is pushing back on FDA’s claims of mislabeling around sesame as an ingredient, the company did clarify its labeling around tree nuts, changing the labels to inform consumers that the product includes hazelnut, rather than “tree nuts.”

About the Author

Andy Hanacek | Senior Editor

Andy Hanacek has covered meat, poultry, bakery and snack foods as a B2B editor for nearly 20 years, and has toured hundreds of processing plants and food companies, sharing stories of innovation and technological advancement throughout the food supply chain. In 2018, he won a Folio:Eddie Award for his unique "From the Editor's Desk" video blogs, and he has brought home additional awards from Folio and ASBPE over the years. In addition, Hanacek led the Meat Industry Hall of Fame for several years and was vice president of communications for We R Food Safety, a food safety software and consulting company.