Last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recalled almost 80,000 pounds of Costco’s popular store-brand butter due to a significant labeling error. While the butter contained “cream” in its ingredients, there was no critical allergen warning on the packaging warning consumers that the butter contained milk.

That’s right, Costco had to waste 40 tons of perfectly good butter because shoppers apparently don’t know that butter contains milk.

FDA rules require food manufacturers to indicate whether their products contain or may have come into contact with major harmful substances. allergensincluding milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, sesame and soybeans. 46,800 according to FDA pound Kirkland Signature Unsalted Sweet Creamy Butter and 32,400 pound Kirkland Signature Salted Sweet Cream Butter correctly listed “cream” as an ingredient, but there was no allergen-specific label on the package warning that the product contained milk.

The FDA classified the recall as follows: Class IIIt means that a labeling error is “a situation in which use of or exposure to an infringing product is likely to cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or the likelihood of serious adverse health consequences is remote.” But huge amounts of butter will now go to waste, despite the risk of harm being even lower considering that butter is one of the most well-known dairy products.

In response, 2020 Libertarian vice presidential candidate Spike Cohen said, “80,000 pounds of Costco butter has been recalled because the label does not say it contains milk. It’s butter.”

“News articles tell people how they can return or safely dispose of butter. This is butter,” he added.

“This is a joke, right? Or sabotage by someone who wants @US_FDA deleted,” another X replied. user.

While these rules are designed to help prevent consumers from accidentally ingesting something they are allergic to, such strict labeling seems less necessary for products that clearly contain a specific allergen. Is it really a public health risk if a butter package that accurately lists its ingredients also doesn’t include an additional warning about milk? Or what if a jar of peanut butter neglects to include an allergen warning for peanuts? If a package of shrimp does not have a shellfish allergen label, are those allergic to shellfish at risk?

This isn’t the first time FDA labeling rules have led to frustrating consequences. Agency in 2023 added Sesame has been added to the list of major allergens. But instead of helping those allergic to the seeds stay safe, the rules may have led to more danger for those allergic to sesame. Because sesame seeds are so small, it is difficult to completely separate them from other ingredients in a production facility. Rather than taking painstaking steps to completely ensure cross-contamination with sesame seeds, bakers and food manufacturers have resorted to adding small amounts of sesame to their products so they can list sesame as an allergen and avoid FDA scrutiny.