New York’s Division of Food Safety and Inspection is “conducting a full investigation” into accusations that a baker resold doughnuts from Dunkin’ under the guise they were vegan and gluten-free treats she made herself.
On March 3, Cindysnacks, a vegan market in Long Island, posted the accusation on Instagram against The Savory Fig, a Long Island vegan bakery owned by Michelle Siriani.
“On February 23rd the owner of Savory Fig dropped off the baked goods we ordered from her, including her donuts. In the middle of the boxes was the donut pictured in the first slide,” John Stengell, co-owner of Cindysnacks, captioned the post.
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The first image in the slideshow shows a doughnut with pink frosting, dotted with magenta and orange D-shaped sprinkles. Stengell said he became concerned when he noticed that the sprinkles bear an uncanny resemblance to Dunkin’s and that the doughnut looked different than the rest of the order. He says he removed the doughnuts from sale before contacting Siriani in the hopes of clearing things up.
“I raised my concerns respectfully, hoping a simple explanation with confirming evidence would clear this up. We (Cindy and I) were not given satisfactory answers nor evidence and in that moment knew deep down how bad this was,” Stengell wrote of his and his wife’s experience.
The Stengells said they ordered the sprinkles Siriani claimed she used, and found that they were neither labeled vegan nor matched those on the doughnut, so they ordered an at-home gluten test. They say the test came back as “high positive” for gluten.
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“We can only assume, given this recognizable logo design, where these donuts really came from and what other ingredients they might contain,” Stengell wrote, adding that they have cut personal and business ties with Siriani.
Dunkin’ did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but an allergen and ingredient guide on its website says that every doughnut it makes contains, at the very least, eggs, milk and wheat, so they’re neither vegan nor gluten-free.
“We are mortified that we provided any of her products to our customers and our own family,” Stengell wrote. “Most importantly, we want to apologize from the depths of our soul to anyone who unknowingly consumed these products.”
Neither Siriani nor the Stengells have responded to multiple requests for comment.
Since the Stengells posted their accusation, The Savory Fig shut down its Instagram page. Its Facebook page, which is active as of this writing, has been inundated with hundreds of negative comments and ratings.
On March 5, Cindysnacks posted an update saying they would not give any further interviews or statements because they “don’t feel this will serve (their) mission.”
The post also notes that they have contacted New York’s Division of Food Safety and Inspection as well as the Suffolk County Department of Health.
“Ensuring the safety and proper labeling of our food supply is a critical function of the Department, which includes overseeing home processors in New York State,” New York’s Division of Food Safety and Inspection tells TODAY.com in a statement. “The Department has received several complaints regarding this home processing business and is conducting a full investigation.”
A rep for the Suffolk County Department of Health tells TODAY.com that if the Stengells reached out, they would have been referred to the state office.
Online, people have been sharing their experiences living with celiac disease and food allergies in response to the allegations.
One Redditor with celiac disease wrote, “straight up wheat exposure from eating a regular donut would kill me dead.”
Charlene Van Buiten, Ph.D. Assistant Professor for the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Colorado University, says that ingesting gluten affects those with gluten intolerance and celiac disease differently.
“Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder. If an individual with celiac disease eats gluten, it causes what is known as ‘leaky gut,’ which means that the intestines lose some of their ability to keep bacteria, toxins and food particles out of the bloodstream,” Van Buiten tells TODAY.com. This causes the immune system to target gluten as a foreign invader, further damaging the intestines. “Fortunately, adherence to a gluten-free diet can help the intestines repair this damage,” she says.
Van Buiten says, in contrast to celiac disease, gluten intolerance is most often characterized by a handful of symptoms including bloating, nausea, brain fog, joint pain or skin rash when a person consumes gluten.
“There is also a gluten allergy which is similar to a peanut allergy in which you can get anaphylaxis (a life-threatening allergic reaction) within minutes of ingesting gluten,” Dr. Purvi Parikh, an allergist and immunologist at NYU Langone Health, tells TODAY.com of wheat allergies. “There are a whole myriad of less severe intolerances, but severe or not, there needs to be transparency in food labeling and ingredients as it can be deadly.”
Parikh says many companies and restaurants now have gluten-free options, but “the problem is it’s hard to know what has trace amounts or even large amounts of gluten unless you prepare it yourself — that is often the safest way to proceed.” She adds that concerned individuals should try to be well-versed in what to look for on labels to keep themselves and their families safe.
This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:
