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Clifton's Butterfly Bakery Shut Down Over Misbranded Products

CLIFTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Dangerous desserts could be on store shelves at your local grocery.

Federal investigators found a New Jersey bakery distributor's so-called "sugar free" products are secretly loaded with sugar, which can be dangerous to many people, CBS 2's Derricke Dennis reported on Friday.

It's a case of buyer beware. The Butterfly Bakery distributor in Clifton, maker of no sugar added muffins and other sweet treats, has gone sour with the federal government, and consumers.

"Usually, if they say something is sugar free, or has less sugar added, I believe it," a local resident said.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, tests done over several years show false and misleading Butterfly Bakery labels, with some containing as much as two times the amount of declared fat, two times the amount of saturated fat, and three times the amount of labeled sugar.

"Three times the amount! Oh my goodness, what if someone diabetic had that or something, that would be awful," Clifton resident Beverly Swisher said.

Butterfly Bakery Blueberry Muffin
Butterfly Bakery Blueberry Muffin (Facebook)

The FDA has shut down the bakery's distribution plant in Clifton, though some products are still on store shelves.

There was no comment from the bakery, but a Facebook message from management said: "Back in May 2011 the products were reformulated and labels were corrected" and that "only 3 out of Butterfly's 45 items were cited" by the FDA.

Customers said the mislabeling and then relabeling to reflect sugar added, makes them nervous.

"Of course it does, of course. I'd rather see them be honest about things than dishonest about things," said John Amorison of Clifton.

Doctors say diabetics and others who are sensitive to sugar would typically notice a sugary taste right away. When in doubt, the best advice is to avoid sweets altogether.

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