The Brownie Baker recalls Nouria Banana Nut Muffins over undeclared walnuts in blueberry muffin packaging

FRESNO, CA (May 8, 2026) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a voluntary recall issued by The Brownie Baker, Inc. of Fresno, California, covering Nouria branded Banana Nut Muffins that were packaged and labeled as blueberry muffins. According to the FDA, an internal investigation confirmed that a packaging error resulted in banana nut muffins being placed into blueberry muffin packaging. The blueberry muffin label does not declare the presence of tree nuts (walnuts). People with a tree nut allergy or severe sensitivity run the risk of a serious or potentially fatal allergic reaction if they consume the product. No illnesses have been reported to date.

The Brownie Baker recall: Quick summary

The Brownie Baker, Inc. announced a voluntary recall on May 7, 2026, covering Nouria Banana Nut Muffins in a 9-count, 6 oz format that were distributed in blueberry muffin packaging carrying lot code 6082. The product was distributed to a third-party distributor on March 31, 2026, and may have been further distributed to retail and foodservice locations. The recall was initiated after a customer reported a labeling discrepancy on April 24, 2026. Consumers with a tree nut allergy who purchased this product should not consume it and should return it to the place of purchase or dispose of it safely.

What happened?

The FDA said The Brownie Baker, Inc. initiated the voluntary recall on May 7, 2026, after an internal investigation confirmed a packaging error that sent banana nut muffins to market in blueberry muffin packaging.

The timeline is important. The Brownie Baker distributed the affected product to a third-party distributor on March 31, 2026. The recall was not initiated until May 7, 2026, five weeks after distribution. The gap between distribution and recall announcement is explained by how the issue came to light: a customer notified the company of a labeling discrepancy on April 24, 2026. The Brownie Baker then conducted an internal investigation before issuing the formal recall notice on May 7.

In its recall notice, the company stated the recall was initiated after the company was notified by a customer on April 24, 2026, of a labeling discrepancy, and that an internal investigation determined a packaging error resulted in banana nut muffins being placed into blueberry muffin packaging.

No illnesses have been reported to date. Consumers are urged to check with their retailer or foodservice provider if they are unsure whether they purchased the affected product.

Affected products

Brand	Product	Size	UPC	Lot code	Distribution date	Issue
Nouria	Banana Nut Muffin (labeled as Blueberry Muffin)	9-count, 6 oz	811070033979	6082 (with military time stamp)	March 31, 2026	Undeclared tree nuts (walnuts)

What caused the issue?

The wrong product in the wrong package

The root cause of this recall is a packaging error: banana nut muffins were placed into packaging designed for blueberry muffins. The two products are produced in the same Fresno facility, and both come in the same 9-count, 6 oz format under the Nouria brand. At the packaging stage, units of the banana nut variety entered blueberry muffin packaging without detection.

The blueberry muffin label does not list walnuts as an ingredient. A consumer purchasing what appeared to be blueberry muffins had no reason to suspect the product inside contained tree nuts. This type of error, known as a wrong-product-in-wrong-packaging event, is one of the most common causes of undeclared allergen recalls in the baked goods category. It is not a formulation error or a labeling design failure. It is a production floor control failure.

The convenience retail channel and allergen risk

The Nouria brand adds an important dimension to this recall. Nouria is a gas station and convenience store chain operating primarily in the northeastern United States, with locations across New England and the mid-Atlantic region. The Brownie Baker produces individually wrapped pastries for convenience retail accounts as a core part of its business. Convenience store shoppers purchasing a wrapped muffin from a grab-and-go display may have less opportunity to scrutinize labeling than grocery shoppers examining a product on a shelf. For a tree nut-allergic consumer who grabbed what appeared to be a blueberry muffin at a fuel stop, the undisclosed walnut content in the product they actually received represents a real and immediate health risk.

A five-week window between distribution and recall

The product was distributed on March 31, 2026, and the recall was not announced until May 7, 2026. A single customer report on April 24 was what triggered the internal investigation. The Brownie Baker responded appropriately once the discrepancy was identified. However, the five-week window between distribution and public recall notice is a reminder that consumer-reported discrepancies are often the first alert a manufacturer receives about a packaging error. Internal pre-distribution packaging verification steps, specifically confirming that the product inside matches the packaging label before cases ship, are the controls that close that window.

Questions you might have

1. Which product is included in this recall? The recall covers Nouria Banana Nut Muffins that were incorrectly placed into blueberry muffin packaging. The product is a 9-count, 6 oz muffin pack carrying UPC 811070033979 and lot code 6082 with an accompanying military time stamp. Only this specific lot code is included. The distribution date was March 31, 2026.
2. Where was this product sold? The affected product was distributed to a third-party distributor on March 31, 2026, and may have been further distributed to retail stores and foodservice locations. The recall notice does not specify states or retail chain names. The Brownie Baker recommends that consumers check with their place of purchase if they are unsure whether they bought the affected product.
3. How do I know if I have the recalled product? Look for Nouria branded muffins in a 9-count, 6 oz package labeled as blueberry muffins, carrying UPC 811070033979 and lot code 6082. The lot code and an accompanying military time stamp appear on the packaging. If your package matches this description, do not consume it if you have a tree nut allergy.
4. What allergen is undeclared in this product? Walnuts. Walnuts are classified as a tree nut, one of the nine major food allergens the FDA requires manufacturers to declare under FALCPA. The blueberry muffin packaging used for this product does not list walnuts as an ingredient.
5. What are the health risks of consuming this product with a tree nut allergy? People with tree nut allergies may experience a range of reactions after consuming undeclared walnuts, from mild symptoms such as hives, itching, and gastrointestinal discomfort to severe anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a rapid immune response that can cause throat swelling, a dangerous drop in blood pressure, and respiratory distress, and can be fatal without immediate emergency treatment with epinephrine. If you have consumed this product and are experiencing any allergic symptoms, seek emergency medical care immediately.
6. What caused this packaging error? According to the company’s recall notice, the issue was caused by a packaging error in which banana nut muffins were placed into blueberry muffin packaging. The company does not specify the exact production control failure that allowed this to occur but confirmed the finding through an internal investigation triggered by a customer report on April 24, 2026.
7. Why did it take five weeks from distribution to recall announcement? The product was distributed on March 31, 2026. The company did not become aware of the labeling discrepancy until a customer reported it on April 24, 2026, roughly three and a half weeks after distribution. After receiving the report, the company conducted an internal investigation before issuing the formal recall on May 7, 2026. The timeline reflects a reactive rather than proactive detection process.
8. Were any illnesses reported? No. As of the recall announcement on May 7, 2026, The Brownie Baker confirmed no illnesses had been reported in connection with this product.
9. How do I return the product or get a refund? Return the product to the place of purchase. The Brownie Baker recommends that the product be disposed of safely or returned to the retailer. Consumers with questions can contact The Brownie Baker at 559-277-7070, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time. Media inquiries can be directed to Heather Kirkpatrick at [email protected].
10. Is this a voluntary recall or was it ordered by the FDA? This is a voluntary recall initiated by The Brownie Baker, Inc., conducted with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Here’s what you should do

• What to do with the product: Do not consume it if you have a tree nut allergy. Return it to the place of purchase or dispose of it safely.
• How to identify the affected product: Nouria branded muffins, 9-count, 6 oz package, labeled as blueberry muffins, UPC 811070033979, lot code 6082 with military time stamp on the packaging.
• Brand contact details: The Brownie Baker, Inc.: 559-277-7070, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time. Media: [email protected].

Behind the brand

The Brownie Baker, Inc. is a Fresno, California-based wholesale bakery and pastry manufacturer founded in the late 1970s. In 1990, Dennis Perkins acquired the company and used his background in convenience store industry sales to expand its reach from a small local operation into a nationally distributed wholesale bakery. The company produces individually wrapped brownies, cookies, cakes, muffins, and Danish pastries under its own brand and under retailer-branded arrangements, with products distributed to convenience stores, grocery chains, and foodservice accounts across the United States.

The Brownie Baker operates out of a 45,000 square foot facility in Fresno and has developed partnerships with major confectionery brands over the years, including a 2019 collaboration with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and a 2023 partnership with Mars Wrigley to produce its Ultimate Brownie line featuring M&Ms Minis, Twix, and Snickers. The company produces products under the Nouria brand for distribution through Nouria Energy, a fuel and convenience retail chain operating across New England and the northeastern United States.

Source86 reached out to The Brownie Baker for additional comment on the packaging controls in place at the time of the error and the corrective steps now being implemented, but had not received a response beyond the company’s published recall notice at the time of publication.

Other relevant recalls

Wrong-product-in-wrong-packaging recalls have produced a steady stream of undeclared allergen incidents across the baked goods, snack, and prepared food categories in recent months. In March 2026, Schreiber Foods recalled Einstein Bros Honey Almond Cream Cheese Spread after almond-containing cream cheese was placed into cups labeled as plain, affecting four states. In February 2026, Gregory’s Foods recalled frozen cookie dough after peanut-containing Monster Cookie Dough was sealed into bags labeled as White Chocolate Macadamia Nut. In January 2026, Karns Foods recalled Mini Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cups after a packaging process breakdown sent peanut-containing chocolate desserts to Pennsylvania store shelves without a peanut declaration. In May 2026, George J. Howe Co. recalled sunflower seeds after a production changeover error allowed cashew-containing material to enter sunflower seed packaging across 24 states. And in May 2026, Second Nature Brands recalled Keto Crunch Smart Mix after cashews and pistachios were found in pouches whose labels did not list them, with the root cause traced to a production and packaging process breakdown.

A food packaging compliance specialist noted the particular challenge that multi-product bakeries face at the packaging stage:

“When you run blueberry muffins and banana nut muffins on the same line or in the same facility, the changeover between them has to include a physical product verification step before sealing. Checking that the product going into the packaging matches the label is not a quality preference. It is a mandatory allergen control point. A five-week gap between distribution and discovery is the cost of not having that step in place.”

A bakery operations consultant added:

“The convenience retail channel makes this kind of error particularly concerning. A gas station shopper grabbing a muffin at the counter is not reading every line of the ingredient label. They are trusting the product name on the package. When that name is wrong, the allergen risk is invisible.”

Eran Mizrahi, CEO of Source86, said the Brownie Baker recall reflects a failure mode that appears repeatedly in shared-line bakery production:

“Food safety isn’t just about compliance; it’s about trust. Every recall reminds us how vital it is to maintain transparency, rigorous checks, and supplier accountability. In a bakery that produces multiple product varieties, packaging verification is not a final check. It is a critical safety step.”

Ensuring safe eats

The Brownie Baker recall is a reminder that packaging errors can place undeclared allergens into the hands of consumers who have no reason to expect them. For tree nut-allergic consumers who purchased Nouria branded muffins at a convenience or fuel retail location, the blueberry muffin label they relied on was not accurate.

If you purchased Nouria branded muffins in a 9-count, 6 oz package labeled as blueberry muffins with UPC 811070033979 and lot code 6082, do not consume them if you have a tree nut allergy. Return the product to the place of purchase or dispose of it safely. Contact The Brownie Baker at 559-277-7070 with any questions.

At Source86, we help food brands manage ingredient sourcing, FSQA oversight, and private label production with transparency and precision, ensuring that when recalls happen, supply chains are prepared to respond quickly. Our team works directly with manufacturers and bakery producers to implement the packaging verification controls and allergen management protocols that prevent mislabeling events from reaching consumers. Reach out to learn how Source86 can support your brand’s food safety program.