Winn-Dixie stores are recalling their Winn-Dixie Choco Charm Chocolate Drinks because they may be mislabelled and contain wheat that is not declared. People with wheat allergies could then suffer an allergic reaction as a result of drinking the product.
The drink was available in the dairy department of their stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana and was in a 128 oz. (one gallon) clear plastic bottle with a yellow bottle cap marked with the UPC code 21140-29830.
Customers should return their affected products to their local Winn-Dixie store for a refund. Consumers with questions about the recalled product may also contact Winn-Dixie Guest Services toll free at 1-866-WINN-DIXIE.
Symptoms of wheat allergy include:
• Skin rashes
• Dizziness
• Sneezing
• Eczema
• Diarrhea
• Unexplained tiredness
• Nausea and vomiting
• Cough
• Mood swings
In severe cases, a person may get a swollen throat or tongue and have difficulty breathing. Not everyone has all the symptoms.
Some people have celiac disease which is an immune system reaction to the gluten in wheat, barley, rye and oats. This is when antibodies are formed to combat the gluten that the immune system mistakenly labels as a threat. These are called antitissue transglutaminase antibodies (tTGA) or anti-endomysium antibodies (EMA). The anti-tissue antibodies damage the lining of the small intestine and prevent it from absorbing food so that the person is not able to get the correct nutrients and they lose weight, have abdominal pain, fatigue, hair loss, itchy skin, nose bleeds, joint pains and other symptoms of malnutrition. Women may stop having menstrual periods or have irregular ones and children suffering from the condition may have ‘failure to thrive’, including poor weight gain, short stature, gastrointestinal problems and dental problems. Puberty may begin later than normal.
Celiac disease affects one in every 133 Americans.
Sources:
National Center for Biotechnology Information, Celiac disease - resources - Pubmed Health. Web. 19 August 2011. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002861
The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center, Celiac Disease Facts and Figures. Web. 19 August 2011.
http://www.uchospitals.edu/pdf/uch_007937.pdf
and
Testing at
http://www.celiacdisease.net/testing
Wheat-free.org - wheat free recipes, places to eat, suppliers of ingredients, Wheat allergy and intolerance information on wheat-free.org. Web. 19 August 2011.
http://www.wheat-free.org/wheat-allergy.html
U S Food and Drug Administration Home Page, Winn-Dixie Issues Voluntary Recall On ‘Winn-Dixie Choco Charm Chocolate Drink’ Due To Mislabeling and Undeclared Allergen. Web. 19 August 2011. http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm268450.
Joanna is a freelance health writer for The Mother magazine and Suite 101 with a column on infertility, http://infertility.suite101.com/. She is author of the book, 'Breast Milk: A Natural Immunisation,' and co-author of an educational resource on disabled parenting, in addition to running a charity for people damaged by vaccines or medical mistakes.
Reviewed August 19, 2011
by Michele Blacksberg R.N.
Edited by Jody Smith