Routine testing has prompted an expanded nationwide recall after Salmonella contamination was detected in a batch of mint-flavoured chocolate bars distributed throughout the United States.
Several flavours have been removed from sale before any related illnesses have been reported, reducing the possible period of exposure.
Laboratory test triggers chocolate recall
Finished bars from a recent manufacturing run returned positive contamination results, putting particular lot numbers at the heart of the warning.
After its internal testing detected the bacteria, Spring & Mulberry worked with federal regulators to remove the affected batches from sale.
The original finding involved Mint Leaf bars and led the company to assess other lots produced during the same period using shared equipment.
Those links extended the recall beyond one chocolate flavour, making batch codes, rather than the packaging by itself, the key protection for consumers.
Which chocolate is included in the recall
In an update issued on 14 January 2026, the chocolate recall was extended to eight flavours, among them Mint Leaf, Earl Grey and Pure Dark Minis.
The bars had been sold nationwide through online orders and selected retail partners since 15 September 2025, meaning their distribution went well beyond a single shop.
Although box colours varied between flavours, every pack displayed a lot code, which identifies an individual production batch.
The recall applied only to the specified lot codes, meaning shoppers needed to compare the numbers closely before discarding unopened bars.
Recalled chocolate lot codes are important
Lot codes such as #025255 identify the Mint Leaf bars that prompted the action, while the teal box provides a quick visual indicator.
Each batch was made to a single schedule on shared equipment, so its lot code identified the output from a particular day.
For Spring & Mulberry bars, these numbers were printed both on the rear of the box and on the inner wrapper.
Overlooking this information could result in unnecessary waste, whereas failing to check it at all could leave a potentially unsafe bar in the cupboard.
Why contamination presents a risk
Health officials are concerned about Salmonella, a bacterium that can cause food poisoning when it enters ready-to-eat products.
“Healthy individuals infected with Salmonella may experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain,” said Spring & Mulberry, the Raleigh, North Carolina chocolate company.
Symptoms generally begin between six hours and six days after infection, so the timing alone seldom identifies the source.
Although most people recover in four to seven days, severe diarrhoea can quickly cause dehydration.
How infection may become severe
A clinical overview estimates that invasive infections – where illness spreads outside the intestines – account for around eight percent of laboratory-confirmed Salmonella cases.
If the bacteria reach the bloodstream, they may lodge in the joints, bones or urinary tract, creating further health problems.
The greatest likelihood of serious illness affects young children, adults aged over 65, pregnant people and people with weakened immune systems.
For these groups, a recall is intended to prevent an uncommon emergency rather than simply a very unpleasant weekend.
Chocolate can harbour bacteria
A recent review reported that chocolate has been associated with outbreaks of Salmonella infection for decades.
Chocolate's low moisture and high fat content can allow the bacteria to survive for longer and withstand heat that would kill them in wetter foods.
The review's authors stated that Salmonella can remain in chocolate for more than one year.
Because even very small quantities can cause infection, one contaminated batch may create a risk across numerous bars before anybody becomes ill.
Testing may not find every affected bar
Food testing commonly examines samples rather than every individual bar, allowing contamination to remain undetected before emerging later.
“Because Salmonella can be difficult to detect and may appear intermittently, we are now expanding the recall beyond Mint Leaf in consultation with the FDA to include additional production lots made during the same time period on the same equipment.” said Spring & Mulberry.
As shared machinery and packaging lines were used, subsequent flavours may have contacted the same surfaces, connecting lots made during that production period.
The company said that all other lots outside the listed codes were unaffected, although the information could change as testing continues.
What consumers should do
People who bought the recalled chocolate bars were told to stop eating them and keep the packaging aside to check its code.
The first action should be disposal, as throwing the bar away prevents the risk reaching children, visitors or pets.
Customers seeking a refund or replacement were asked to email [email protected] with a photograph of the lot code.
Anyone who feels unwell after eating a recalled bar should contact a clinician, particularly if they are in a high-risk group.
What regulators monitor
Federal rules require companies to withdraw unsafe products, with many beginning through a voluntary recall, meaning a company-led removal from shops.
Rather than drafting the announcement itself, the FDA frequently publishes company notices as a public service and does not endorse brands.
Its online portal brought together photographs, lot-code tables and updates, providing shoppers with one place to review the details again.
Clear notices also enable retailers to remove stock swiftly, shortening the exposure period if contaminated bars remain in circulation.
What happens next
Speed was significant in this case: one laboratory result led to a nationwide withdrawal reliant on the small numbers printed on wrappers.
Continued testing and open updates will determine whether the list remains unchanged, while consumers can reduce their risk by checking codes before eating.
Information from an FDA press release.
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