Here’s why the USDA issued a health alert for Trader Joe’s wonton soup

Trader Joe's is pulling a batch of its Chicken & Vegetable Wonton Soup from store shelves over concerns that it could contain undeclared allergens.

The popular grocery store sent an email to customers over the weekend alerting them that 10.75-oz. soup containers with the SKU# 96782 and lot code of 31FA322 had been removed from sale in the following states where it was sold: Arizona, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Southern California, Southern Nevada, Utah, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

In a copy of the email that TODAY Food obtained, the retailer explained that its soup supplier Fortune Avenue Foods, Inc. alerted them that the batch of Trader Ming's Chicken & Vegetable Wonton Soup" may contain “undeclared shrimp and pork, that could pose a serious risk for those with a shrimp allergy.”

Separately, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alert for the soup on Saturday “out of the utmost of caution to ensure that consumers with allergies to shrimp are aware that these products should not be consumed." The organization also clarified that an official recall was not requested since stores had already been removed from shelves.

According to an FSIS online posting, the manufacturer first notified FSIS when it received a customer complaint that they had found shrimp and pork in the soup. So far, there are no confirmed reports of sickness, but both the FSIS and Trader Joe’s urged customers to throw away the product or return it to the store for a full refund.

Customers who have questions can contact Trader Joe’s customer relations department Monday - Friday between 6 a.m. - 6 p.m. PST at (626) 599-3817 or email them. They can also contact the food supplier directly at (909) 930-5989 or cindy@fortuneavenuefoods.com.

Mislabeling occurs every so often in the food industry and a similar incident took place in September when DiGiorno pizza recalled one of its products. The pizza was labeled as a Crispy Pan Crust Pepperoni Pizza but the product inside was actually the brand’s Three Meat Crispy Pan Crust Pizza, which contains soy protein and could cause a reaction in those who are allergic to soy.