DCP: 25-year-old dies after eating Stew Leonard's cookie made at Islip bakery that had undeclared peanuts

The DCP says the cookies affected by the recall are Florentine Cookies with a best-by date of Jan. 5, 2024.

Nicole Alarcon

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Jan 24, 2024, 12:28 AM

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Updated 331 days ago

The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection said a 25-year-old woman who lived in New York died after eating a Stew Leonard's cookie made at an Islip bakery that had undeclared peanuts.

DCP said the woman ate the cookies at a social gathering in Connecticut.

Stew Leonard's has since issued a recall for the products.

According to the recall statement, the cookies contain peanuts, and the manufacturer did not disclose this ingredient to Stew Leonard's.

The DCP says the cookies affected by the recall are Florentine Cookies with a best-by date of Jan. 5, 2024.

It says the Florentine Cookies were produced by a wholesaler, Cookies United, in Islip, labeled with the Stew Leonard’s brand name, and sold only at the Danbury and Newington stores from Nov. 6 to Dec. 31, 2023.

Out of an abundance of caution, DCP worked with Stew Leonard’s to remove all baked items produced by Cookies United from all Stew Leonard’s Connecticut locations.

The president and CEO of Stew Leonard's issued a statement:

"This has never happened at Stew Leonard's before. We have very strict food safety practices and one of them is having all proper ingredients listed on our labels. Unfortunately, we are buying these cookies from a company who never told us they changed the ingredients. We sold them in good faith and one customer was affected. We were devastated to learn this news and our family is sending our deepest condolences."

Cookies United released the following statement:

"It has come to the attention of Cookies United that a customer of Stew Leonard’s has tragically died as a result of eating cookies containing peanuts. Our hearts and condolences are first with the family of this Stew Leonard’s customer. Stew Leonard’s claimed in an earlier press release that 'The cookies contain peanuts, which was an ingredient not disclosed to Stew Leonard’s by the manufacturer.' [bold is ours] Unfortunately, considering the tragedy of these circumstances, we need to point out that Stew Leonard’s was notified by Cookies United in July of 2023 that this product now contains peanuts and all products shipped to them have been labeled accordingly. This product is sold under the Stew Leonard’s brand and repackaged at their facilities. The incorrect label was created by, and applied to, their product by Stew Leonard’s.

"In the 24 hours since Cookies United learned of this tragedy we have been cooperating with the New York State Department of Agriculture and have been informed we are in compliance with all applicable rules and regulations relating to this product."

"Our deepest sympathies to the family of this Stew Leonard’s customer."