FDA pulls 9,600 Holsum tortillas from USVI shelves over unlisted dyes

Holsum de Puerto Rico, Inc. has withdrawn roughly 9,602 packages of its spinach flour tortillas from stores across Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands after failing to declare two artificial colorants on the product label.

The item in question is Holsum Spinach Flour Tortillas Large, packaged in sets of eight and weighing 20 ounces, identified by universal product code 810023430629. The tortillas contain FD&C Blue No. 1 and FD&C Yellow No. 5, both of which federal law requires to appear on ingredient lists.

The manufacturer based in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, started the voluntary withdrawal on September 28. The US Food and Drug Administration formally designated it a Class II recall on October 14, meaning the product poses a risk of temporary or reversible health effects, though serious harm is unlikely.

FD&C Yellow No. 5, known commercially as tartrazine, can provoke allergic responses in susceptible people, including itching and hives. The FDA mandates that approved food dyes be clearly identified so buyers can decide what to purchase.

Nine manufacturing batches are involved, with best-by dates spanning October 4 to December 17, 2026. The lot codes are: 26187, 26195, 26210, 26216, 26224, 26239, 26250, 26251 and 2026261.

The FDA has not disclosed how many of the recalled units reached the US Virgin Islands or which local shops stocked them. Shoppers who bought the product should verify the UPC, lot number and expiration date. Anyone holding recalled tortillas should not eat them and should either return them to their retailer or throw them away. The FDA continues to track the recall.