FDA Warns of Undeclared Allergens in Imperial Cookies and Candies

People with milk, wheat or tree-nut allergies should check their cupboards after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a safety alert for five Imperial-brand cookies and candies. The products were made by Imperial Nougat Co. and may contain allergens that are not declared on their labels.

The alert matters because an ingredient can be absent from the label even when it is present in the food. For someone with a food allergy, that gap can turn an apparently familiar snack into a serious health risk. The FDA says undeclared milk, wheat and tree nuts, including pistachio, can cause severe or potentially life-threatening allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis.

The products were distributed to Iranian, Persian and Middle Eastern specialty markets in California. The agency’s current notice does not identify nationwide distribution. Consumers who shop at those stores, or who received the products through family or community networks, should compare the packaging carefully with the product names and date markings in the alert.

Which products are affected?

The FDA lists five products. The affected details are:

• Imperial Chocolate Covered Chickpea Cookies, 8 oz, dated 10.30.26; undeclared milk.
• Chickpea Cookie bearing the Imperial logo, 16 oz, dated 12.28.26; undeclared wheat.
• Imperial Coconut Cookie, 10 oz, dated 12.30.26; undeclared tree nut, specifically pistachio.
• Imperial Persian Nougat, Sugar Free, 20 oz, dated between 04.08.27 and 05.04.27; undeclared wheat.
• Imperial Saltanati Gaz, 20 oz, dated between 04.08.27 and 05.04.27; undeclared wheat.

The FDA’s product photographs are useful when packaging is difficult to identify. One official image shows the Imperial Coconut Cookie in a clear plastic container with a white label and a 10 oz net-weight marking. The label lists sugar, egg white, coconut and vanilla, but the FDA alert identifies pistachio as an undeclared tree-nut allergen for this product.

Why the FDA issued its own warning

According to the agency, an FDA inspection at Imperial Nougat Co. on April 30, 2026, identified the products and the undeclared allergens. The FDA recommended a recall on May 5. The company notified one customer on May 12 to remove the products from store shelves, but the agency said other customers who received the products were not notified and that the company had not issued a public press release.

The FDA’s May 26 update was therefore intended to alert consumers directly. The agency also says the notice may be updated if additional products or information become available. That is a reason to rely on the official alert for the latest product details rather than on a retailer’s description or a social-media post.

What shoppers should do now

If you have a milk, wheat or pistachio allergy, do not eat any of the listed products. Do not serve them to guests, use them in a dessert, or assume that heating or cooking will remove the allergy risk. Keep the package available so that the product name and date can be checked accurately, then contact the place of purchase about returning it.

Retailers and distributors should remove the affected products from sale and should not distribute them further. If a business has passed the products on to customers, the FDA advises notifying those customers. This is particularly important for specialty foods that may be shared outside the original shopping trip.

If someone with a relevant allergy has eaten one of the products and develops symptoms, the FDA advises seeking immediate medical attention. A reaction can be serious even when a food appears small, familiar or homemade after being used in another recipe. When in doubt, keep the packaging and product information for healthcare professionals.

The alert is a reminder that checking labels is not a one-time task. Product recipes, packaging and distribution can change, and specialty foods may carry date codes that remain in the future. For these Imperial products, comparing the brand, product name, package size and date marking against the FDA notice is the clearest way to decide whether a package should be kept out of the kitchen.

Sources

• Official source: fda.gov
• https://www.fda.gov/food/alerts-advisories-safety-information/fda-advises-consumers-and-retailers-not-eat-serve-or-sell-certain-imperial-brand-cookies-and-candies