The Popsicle Recall Has Been Escalated To Class I Status. Here's What That Means

The Food and Drug Administration upgraded the August 21, 2024 Unilever Popsicle recall to Class One status. A Class One food recall means that there is "a reasonable probability" that the frozen desserts in question "will cause serious adverse health consequences or death," according to the FDA. Unilever's initial recall of Popsicle Jolly Rancher Frozen Confection Pops was due to potential contamination from milk, which could be serious or life-threatening for anyone with milk sensitivities or milk allergies. Milk is not listed as a potential allergen on the packages. There were two separate reports of allergic reactions, though it took Unilever more than a month after the first incident to issue the recall of 137,000 cases, per the FDA.

In addition to undisclosed allergens, like in the case of Cava's spicy hummus recall, Class One recalls can also be issued because of pathogens and foreign objects. For example, several confections from the Palmer Candy brand were recalled due to salmonella, and 21 tons of Johnsonville sausages were recalled over plastic contaminants.

If you purchased 18-count cartons of the Popsicle Jolly Rancher Frozen Confection Pops, then you are in the clear. Only the single-serve packets meant for individual sale (the kind that you might have from an ice-cream truck) were impacted. So this recall is most likely to affect convenience stores, places with concession stands, schools, sports arenas, and so on.

Any business with a freezer case that sells individually wrapped ice-creams and frozen treats should check to make sure that items from the affected batches are not available for sale. It is also a good idea for individual customers to double-check items before purchasing or consuming. You can find the full list of UPC and lot codes at PopsicleRecall.com.

All of the Jolly Rancher Popsicles that may contain milk come in 2.71 fluid ounce packages and were distributed between February 1, 2024 and August 15, 2024 across the entire United States. If you do find that you have any of the contaminated products in your possession and would like to get a refund, visit the recall website, and click the "Get Started" button. Anyone with questions or concerns can reach out to Unilever directly at (888) 926-3554.