Stew Leonard's, a grocery store in Connecticut, has issued a recall of its Vanilla Florentine cookies after a New York resident died from an allergic reaction. The cookies, produced by wholesaler Cookies United in Islip, were found to contain peanuts, an ingredient not listed on the label. The cookies were sold at Stew Leonard's locations in Danbury and Newington from November 6 to December 31, 2023. The best buy date on the cookies was January 5, 2024.

Consumers with a nut allergy are advised to dispose of the cookies or return them to the store for a full refund. The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) and Department of Public Health (DPH) are investigating the incident, along with public health officials from New York and New Jersey. They are working to determine the cause of the mislabeling and if any other products were affected.

Stew Leonard's has removed all baked items produced by Cookies United from its Connecticut stores as a precautionary measure. The store's CEO expressed sorrow over the incident and stated that the supplier had changed the recipe without notifying them. The DCP stressed the importance of correct food labeling to protect people with allergies and prevent similar tragedies in the future.