What was recalled

Flowers Foods is recalling two sizes of Nature's Own Hawaiian Bread because milk is not declared on the label, which creates a risk for people with a milk allergy. The company announcement is dated October 2, 2026, and the FDA published it on October 5.

The products are Nature's Own Hawaiian Bread in 20 ounce loaves and in 40 ounce two-packs.

This is an allergen recall rather than a contamination recall. No test result makes the product unsafe; the risk comes from eating an ingredient the label does not disclose.

Who has to check, and where

The recall covers product distributed to retail customers in five states: Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

That is narrower than a nationwide recall, so a shopper outside those states is unlikely to be holding an affected package. People in those states with an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk should check the package before eating it.

The company says no related illnesses or incidents have been reported to date.

How to identify the affected packages

The 20 ounce loaf carries UPC 0 72250 91662 2, and the notice lists production codes in five ranges plus a "Best if used by" window from October 8 2026 03 to October 18 2026 13.

The 40 ounce two-pack carries UPC 0 72250 00683 5. The notice leaves the product code and date fields blank for that size, so the UPC is the identifier to use.

People with a milk allergy should not consume the product if the matching UPC and product code or date appear on the package.

A conceptual comparison shows a 20 oz loaf with UPC and code/date information and a 40 oz two-pack identified by UPC only.
The FDA notice lists a UPC and production-code/date entries for 20 oz loaves; the 40 oz two-pack is listed with a UPC and no product-code or date entry. Compare the package with the official notice.

What to do with it

Affected product should be discarded or returned to the place of purchase for a full refund. The recall withdraws the affected packages rather than relabelling them in place.

Consumers with questions can call Flowers' Consumer Relations Center at 1-866-245-8921, open Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, or use the contact form on the company's website.

The company says the recall is being made with the knowledge of the FDA. The FDA page carries the announcement as a public service, and the agency states that posting it is not an endorsement of the product or the company.

How the problem was found

The recall was initiated after the company reviewed production records and found that certain packages of both sizes did not declare milk as an ingredient.

That detail matters for anyone wondering whether this is a labelling error or a recipe change. The notice describes an undeclared allergen, and it does not say whether the product contained milk or whether the risk comes from shared equipment.

Where the labelling rule comes from

US labelling law is why a missing allergen triggers a recall rather than a note. Under the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, a packaged food that contains a major food allergen must either print a "Contains" statement next to the ingredient list or name the food source in parentheses after the ingredient. Milk is one of the eight major allergens that, according to the law's findings, account for about 90% of food allergies.

The same findings estimated that roughly 2% of adults and about 5% of infants and young children in the United States have food allergies, that about 30,000 people a year need emergency room treatment for allergic reactions to food, and that there is no cure, so avoidance is the treatment.

Why undeclared milk is treated seriously

For most shoppers the practical effect is nil. For a person with a milk allergy, an undeclared allergen is the same as an unknown ingredient, and reactions range from hives to anaphylaxis depending on the individual.

That is why the notice tells people with an allergy not to consume the product rather than to cook it or inspect it further, and why refunds are offered at the point of purchase.

Who the company is

Flowers Foods is headquartered in Thomasville, Georgia, and describes itself as one of the largest producers of packaged bakery foods in the United States, with 2025 sales of $5.3 billion. Its brands include Nature's Own, Dave's Killer Bread, Canyon Bakehouse, Simple Mills, Wonder and Tastykake.

What the notice does not say

The announcement does not say how many loaves or bags are affected, how many retail locations received them, or how long the affected production ran before the review caught it.

It also does not give a production window for the 40 ounce two-pack, which is why those fields are blank for the larger size. For a shopper in the five states, the UPC remains the reliable check.