PUERTO RICO · FOOD SAFETY
Key Facts
- The country Puerto Rico is a US territory in the Caribbean whose residents are US citizens and whose food makers follow federal labelling law.
- What happened Pan Pepín, a bakery based in Bayamón, recalled seven lots of its Para Bien Al Grano bread on Tuesday, 13 October.
- Why The loaves contain sesame, one of nine major food allergens under US law, but the label does not list it.
- Which loaves Barcode (UPC) 0 21425 01513 4, lot codes beginning 3B1, with sell-by dates of 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19 and 21 October.
- What buyers should do People allergic to sesame should not eat the bread and can return it to the store for a full refund.
- Still open Pan Pepín has not said whether anyone fell ill, how the sesame got in or how many loaves are involved.
The Pan Pepín recall pulls seven lots of Para Bien Al Grano bread from stores across Puerto Rico. The loaves contain sesame, a major food allergen under US law, but the label does not list it.
Pan Pepín, a bakery in Bayamón in the San Juan metropolitan area, announced the voluntary recall on Tuesday, 13 October. Because Puerto Rico is a US territory, the bread falls under the allergen rules that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) enforces nationwide.
Which Loaves Are Affected
The recall covers only Para Bien Al Grano, a 24-ounce grain-and-seed loaf of 16 slices from Pan Pepín’s ParaBien range. Every affected bag carries the same barcode number, or UPC, 0 21425 01513 4.
The company lists seven lot codes, each tied to a sell-by date in October 2026. They are 3B1 274 (12 October), 3B1 277 (14 October), 3B1 278 (15 October) and 3B1 280 (17 October).
The other three are 3B1 281 (18 October), 3B1 282 (19 October) and 3B1 284 (21 October). The lot number and the date are printed on the bag, and shoppers should check both.
The bread was distributed across the whole island, according to the company. Its website lists five company sites, in Bayamón, Humacao, Ponce, Aguadilla and Hormigueros.
Why Hidden Sesame Matters Under US Law
Sesame became the ninth major food allergen in the United States under the FASTER Act, a food-allergy law signed on 23 April 2021. Since 1 January 2023, every FDA labelling and manufacturing rule for major allergens also applies to sesame.
The other eight are milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybeans. Federal law requires a food label to name the source of any of them, so a bread made with sesame must say so.
The company’s product page lists an organic blend of more than 20 grains and seeds, including poppy, chia, sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Its allergen line names only wheat and soy, with no mention of sesame.
Pan Pepín’s warning matches the standard wording of FDA allergy alerts. People with an allergy or severe sensitivity to sesame risk a serious or life-threatening reaction if they eat the bread.
What It Means for You
Anyone allergic to sesame who bought one of the seven lots should not eat the bread. Buyers can return it to the store for a full refund, or throw it away if a return is not possible.
The company also asks customers to contact it directly with questions about the recall. Its website lists a Bayamón telephone number, (787) 787-1717, and offers an online contact form.
The warning is aimed at people with a sesame allergy or severe sensitivity, and the company names no risk for anyone else. Visitors who keep groceries in a rental kitchen on the island should check the bag too, since the loaf went to stores islandwide.
The FDA advises people with a food allergy who start to feel symptoms to stop eating at once and seek medical attention. Symptoms can include hives, swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, vomiting, wheezing, dizziness and difficulty breathing.
Severe cases can become anaphylaxis, which can narrow the airways and cause a sharp drop in blood pressure. The FDA says mild symptoms can turn life-threatening quickly and that emergency treatment such as epinephrine may be needed.
What Pan Pepín Says
“At Pan Pepín, the safety of our consumers and transparency are our main priorities,” the company said in a Spanish-language statement. “We sincerely regret any inconvenience this recall may cause.”
The bakery said it is taking immediate steps to pull the affected loaves from stores. It also promised to tighten its allergen labelling and checking procedures to prevent similar incidents.
The bakery sells its bread under the slogan “Más fresco, ninguno” (None fresher) and stamps it “Hecho en Puerto Rico” (Made in Puerto Rico). Besides ParaBien, its ranges include Pan Pepín Finest, Planitas and Ñaquers.
The San Juan daily El Nuevo Día and Telemundo Puerto Rico published the company’s full lot table on Tuesday evening. El Vocero and WAPA TV carried the same allergy warning and refund advice.
What Is Not Known
The company’s notice does not say whether anyone has fallen ill or suffered an allergic reaction after eating the bread. It also does not explain how sesame got into the bread or why the label left it out.
The notice gives no figure for how many loaves were baked or sold under the seven lot codes. It names Puerto Rico as the distribution area and does not mention shipments to the US mainland.
By early Wednesday, 14 October, the FDA’s public list of recalls and allergy alerts showed no entry for the bread. The agency’s latest sesame alert on that list, dated 9 October, concerned hummus and baba ghanouj from a Connecticut company.
The recall was announced on the same Tuesday that Puerto Rico confirmed bird flu at two properties in Cabo Rojo and Lajas. The two cases are unrelated, and the recall concerns only the labelling of one bread.
More: Caribbean news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Pan Pepín bread is being recalled?
Only Para Bien Al Grano with barcode (UPC) 0 21425 01513 4 and lot codes 3B1 274, 277, 278, 280, 281, 282 and 284. The sell-by dates run from 12 to 21 October 2026.
What should I do if I bought an affected loaf?
If you are allergic to sesame, do not eat it and return it to the store for a full refund. If you cannot return it, throw it away.
Is the bread dangerous for people without a sesame allergy?
The warning covers people with a sesame allergy or severe sensitivity, who risk a serious or life-threatening reaction. The company has named no risk for other consumers.
Has anyone been hurt by the bread?
The company’s notice does not say whether any allergic reactions have occurred. Anyone who ate the bread and feels unwell should stop eating it and seek medical care.
Why does sesame have to be on the label?
The FASTER Act of 2021 made sesame the ninth major food allergen in the United States. Since 1 January 2023, FDA rules require labels to name it whenever a food contains it.
Sources: Pan Pepín (product page, Para Bien Al Grano), 14 October 2026; Pan Pepín (contact page), 14 October 2026; US Food and Drug Administration (Food Allergies), 14 October 2026; US Food and Drug Administration (Food Allergies: What You Need to Know), 14 October 2026; US Food and Drug Administration (Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts), 14 October 2026; El Nuevo Día, 13 October 2026; Primera Hora, 13 October 2026; Telemundo Puerto Rico, 13 October 2026; El Vocero, 13 October 2026; WAPA TV, 13 October 2026; Metro Puerto Rico (bird flu, Department of Agriculture), 13 October 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief