If you're a fan of chocolate and recently purchased some, you may want to double check the label. According to a recent recall notice, QVC and Bauer’s Candies, a Kentucky-based company, voluntarily recalled certain packages of Modjeskas, “individually-wrapped marshmallow candies dipped in chocolate or caramel.” Why? Well, it turns out there is some concern that the candies may have come in contact with a “came in contact with a facility worker who tested positive” for hepatitis A, a contagious liver disease. If you purchased the gourmet candies any time after November 14, the FDA is urging you to toss them in the trash.

FDA Logo; image courtesy of the Food and Drug Administration via Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org

Since the issue was discovered, Anna Bauer, the president of Bauer's Candies, has ensured that all the in-house candies have been discarded. Additionally, in a statement, she said that all the equipment had been sanitized and her company has “began working with federal state agencies” to remedy the situation. She noted that “no candy products made after Nov. 25 were affected.”The FDA chimed in shortly after the recall was announced and said the “risk of contracting hepatitis from the candies is low.” However, it urges “customers who ate the recalled candy contact their doctor to see if they need medication to prevent a possible infection.” It's important to note that if you're infected with HAV, “the infection that causes hepatitis A,” you may not develop or experience symptoms for up to 50 days after exposure. Symptoms may include the following:

• Loss of Appetite

• Nausea

• Stomach Pain

• Fatigue

• Jaundice

If you have additional questions or concerns regarding the recall, contact Bauer’s Candies at 502-839-3700.

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Chocolates, caramels might be contaminated with hepatitis A, FDA warnsChocolate, caramel candies made in Kentucky may be contaminated with hepatitis A, FDA warns