A sweet indulgence that's a staple in most people's secret stash of guilty pleasures lately moved from the 'handle with care' to the 'deadly weapon' category. Insiders at the FDA recently decided that the chocolate recall initiated in December deserved an upgrade to a seedier neighborhood - the highest risk level. Turns out, the innocent-looking cocoa concoctions could seriously sicken or even kill people with food allergies.

The offending chocolates are like a Russian roulette of undeclared allergens -- it could be milk, soy, wheat, sesame, almonds, or the synthetic food dye FD&C #6. Despite the adrenaline rush, having a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction isn't most people's idea of thrilling chocolate indulgence.

With no reported illnesses to fan its remorse, the chocolate purveyor Cal Yee gingerly withdrew its products from various retailer shelves in a handful of states, their own storefront in Suisun Valley, and also threw a virtual sale-abandoning tantrum online. As a bonus, the Butter Toffee Almonds sold at Boa Vista Orchards retail location in Placerville, California, made the cut for the recall too.

Now, depending on the brand, the packaging of the now-infamous products may vary, making their identification a bit of a culinary whodunit. But don't lose hope just yet. FDA recalls come with a handy table featuring images of the packaging and labels, helping consumers nose out the killer sweets.

Now recall wasn't a decision taken lightly. This was all precautionary - a 'better safe than sorry' approach when alerted about missing allergen information during inspection. The good guys at Cal Yee decided to bite the bullet and follow the corrective plan.

As of February 4, there's a discreet "note regarding December 2024 recall” hidden at the bottom of the Cal Yee Farm homepage. It admits to a voluntary recall of products with undeclared allergens but claims the labels are now corrected and comply with FDA allergen labeling standards.

Consumers allergic or sensitive to any of the potentially hidden dangers in the chocolates - milk, soy, wheat, sesame, FD&C #6, or almonds - are advised to show the offending choccies the bin or return them for a refund.

So folks, tread carefully with chocolates from Cal Yee’s, Cal Yee Farm, or Boa Vista Orchard - a questionable dessert could serve up a buffet of pain instead. Or to put it simply, when your chocoholism could literally end in death by chocolate - it’s time to chuck it or seek a refund.