Halloween Chocolate Eyeballs Recalled In 13 States Over Undeclared Milk Allergen, Sold At Marshalls, TJ Maxx

NORTH ARLINGTON, N.J. — A popular Halloween candy sold at major discount retailers across 13 states is being recalled after federal regulators found the product contained an undeclared milk allergen that could pose a serious health risk to consumers with dairy allergies.

Crystal Temptations, based in North Arlington, New Jersey, is recalling its Halloween Chocolatey Eyeballs candy after discovering the product contains whey, a milk-derived ingredient, that was not disclosed on the packaging label, according to a recall notice posted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

“People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products,” the recall notice states.

The recalled candy was sold at Marshalls, T.J. Maxx, HomeGoods and Sierra Trading Post, all of which operate under parent company TJX. The affected products were distributed across Arizona, Texas, Virginia, Georgia, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Indiana, Nevada, California, New Jersey, Connecticut, Ohio and Wyoming.

The recall was initiated after a TJX analyst discovered that the Chocolatey Eyeballs, which contain whey, had been packaged and distributed without the milk allergen being disclosed on the label, according to the recall notice. The FDA said further investigation traced the issue to a temporary breakdown in the company’s production and packaging processes.

As of the recall’s publication, no illnesses had been reported in connection with the affected products. Even so, the FDA is urging consumers who purchased the recalled candy to avoid eating it and to destroy any remaining product, given the potential severity of an allergic reaction for individuals with milk allergies or sensitivities.

The recalled Crystal Temptations Chocolatey Eyeballs can be identified by five separate style numbers and corresponding packaging formats. They include a plastic bag with a designed header card in a 10-ounce size, labeled with style number 54040-CHEY; an acrylic box with a designed paper wrap in a 7-ounce size, labeled 54077-CHEY; a round plastic jar in a 10.5-ounce size, labeled 58008-CHEY; a designer plastic pouch bag in a 16-ounce size, labeled 58089-CHEY; and a plastic bag tied with a tag in an 11-ounce size, labeled 54083-CHEY.

Retailers that sold the affected candy are not offering direct refunds to customers. Instead, consumers seeking a refund are being directed to contact Crystal Temptations directly with proof of purchase, or to call the company at 201-246-7990 for more information on how to proceed.

Federal law requires food manufacturers to clearly disclose any of the nine major food allergens recognized by the FDA, including milk, on product packaging, given the potential for serious or even fatal allergic reactions among sensitive consumers who unknowingly consume an undisclosed allergen. Failing to disclose such ingredients, even unintentionally due to a production error, can trigger a mandatory recall once the issue is identified, regardless of whether any illnesses have yet been reported in connection with the affected product.

This recall adds to a broader wave of Halloween candy-related recalls that have surfaced in the weeks leading up to the holiday this year. In a separate incident, Michigan-based Zingerman’s Candy recalled two of its full-size chocolate bar products, Peanut Butter Crush and Ca$hew Cow, after discovering that packaging for both bars failed to disclose the potential presence of tree nuts and peanuts. According to Zingerman’s, the Peanut Butter Crush bars may have contained undisclosed cashews, while the Ca$hew Cow bars may have contained undisclosed peanuts, an issue the company said was traced to a similar type of production and packaging oversight. Zingerman’s said no illnesses had been reported in connection with that recall either, and the company indicated the underlying packaging issue had since been resolved.

Food allergy advocacy groups have continued to emphasize the importance of accurate ingredient labeling, particularly around Halloween, a period when candy consumption among children and other allergy-prone individuals rises significantly compared with the rest of the year. Even a small amount of an undisclosed allergen, such as milk protein hidden within a product not labeled as containing dairy, can trigger a severe reaction in individuals with a diagnosed allergy, underscoring why regulators treat such disclosure failures as serious enough to warrant a formal recall even in the absence of any reported illnesses.

Consumers who are uncertain whether they purchased an affected product are advised to check the specific style number and packaging format against the list published in the FDA’s recall notice, since Crystal Temptations sells multiple Halloween-themed candy products, and not all of the company’s offerings are included in this particular recall.

The recall comes amid a broader pattern of food safety alerts affecting products sold through major national retailers in recent weeks, spanning categories from candy to pet food, as manufacturers and regulators continue working to identify and address labeling and production issues before they result in consumer harm. Nearly 2,000 pounds of cat and dog food were separately recalled nationwide in a distinct incident tied to concerns over salmonella and listeria contamination, illustrating the range of food safety issues regulators have flagged across different product categories this fall.

For now, Crystal Temptations has not indicated whether it plans to resume distribution of the affected Chocolatey Eyeballs products once its packaging and labeling processes have been corrected, nor has the company specified a timeline for when consumers might expect to see updated, properly labeled versions of the candy return to store shelves ahead of the Halloween shopping season. Consumers with questions about the recall, or those seeking a refund for an affected purchase, are encouraged to contact Crystal Temptations directly using the phone number provided in the official FDA recall notice.