In yet another example of government bureaucracy failing to keep pace with common-sense food safety, Hearthside Food Solutions, a major food manufacturer based in Salt Lake City, has been forced to recall nearly half a million pounds of ready-to-eat breakfast sandwiches due to what the USDA calls “misbranding.” But this isn’t just a matter of labeling—these sandwiches contain a hidden allergen that could be deadly for some consumers.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the sandwiches contained sesame flour, an ingredient not listed anywhere on the packaging. For individuals with sesame allergies, that’s a serious threat—and one that should have never slipped through the cracks.
To make matters even more concerning, many of the tainted sandwiches were shipped directly to Army and Air Force Exchange Services (AAFES) locations across the country. That’s right—these mislabeled products were sent to feed American servicemembers and their families, who trusted that the food they received on base was properly vetted and safe to eat.
The recalled items include two varieties of the LETTIERI’S FOOD TO GO breakfast sandwiches:
– 8.35-oz. Sausage, Egg & Cheese French Toast Breakfast Sandwiches, with lot codes starting with 23, 24, or 25 up to 2508451.
– 7.3-oz. Bacon, Egg & Cheese French Toast Breakfast Sandwiches, with similar lot codes.
These products carry the USDA mark of inspection with establishment number “EST. V4907.”
Here’s the kicker: the sandwiches didn’t contain obvious sesame seeds—rather, the issue was sesame flour baked into the French toast component. This detail was entirely left off the product’s ingredient label. It was the manufacturer—not federal regulators—who first discovered and reported the problem to the USDA.
That alone should raise serious questions about the federal government’s food oversight systems. If manufacturers are catching critical labeling issues before the USDA does, what else is slipping through the cracks?
Thankfully, no illnesses or allergic reactions have been reported as of yet. But the USDA is warning consumers that these products could still be in home freezers or refrigerators, particularly on military bases. Their advice? Throw the sandwiches away or return them to the place of purchase.
The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service acknowledged the seriousness of the oversight, stating, “The problem was discovered when the producing establishment notified FSIS that the French toast component of their breakfast sandwiches contained sesame flour, but it was not included in the list of ingredients on the label.”
That admission doesn’t inspire confidence—it’s a reminder that self-policing by manufacturers seems to be a last line of defense, rather than a supplement to strong regulatory enforcement.
For millions of Americans—including our military families—this is more than just a recall. It’s a wake-up call. Food safety shouldn’t be an afterthought, especially when it comes to protecting those who serve our nation.
