Apr 2, 2024 1:50 pm EDT | Updated Apr 2, 2024 1:51 pm EDT

LONG ISLAND, NY The state's Department of Agriculture and Markets has tested samples of bakery products from The Savory Fig, which has been caught up in a controversy over alleged fake vegan and gluten-free donuts, but there is "a dispute" that the bakery is the source of the goods in question, a spokesperson said Monday.

"The department obtained and tested samples of the bakery products one business stated it had purchased from the home processor," a spokesperson wrote in an email. "However, there is a dispute concerning whether the home processor was the source of the tested products."

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The department is also working with the business to determine if any other businesses may have received products from them "and will continue its investigation as appropriate," according to the spokesperson.

The Savory Fig is registered with the department as a home processor, meaning that while it is exempt from obtaining the state's food processing license and retail food store license, it is subject to laws and regulations concerning food production.

This includes identifying all allergens, such as eggs, milk, shellfish, soybeans, tree nuts, and wheat, in the product statement.

An investigation was opened last month after the department received several complaints regarding the business, the spokesperson said.

Patch has reached out to The Savory Fig's reported owner, Michelle Siriani, for comment.

A woman claiming to be her mother has defended her, according to a report in Greater Long Island.

In attempting to reach Siriani, a writer reached a woman who identified herself as her mother, and she defended her to the outlet, saying the accusations are totally untrue."

The controversy surrounding the donuts began Feb. 23 with an Instagram post from the owners of Cindy Snacks in Huntington, claiming the Suffolk County-based bakery, dropped off a batch of donuts and one was similar to that of Dunkin, featuring its signature orange and pink icing, as well as sprinkles of little Ds, according to a photo in the post.

One of the owners raised his concerns "respectfully, hoping a simple explanation with confirming evidence would clear this up" but he and his partner were "not given satisfactory answers nor evidence, and in that moment, knew deep down how bad this was," according to the post.

"Still trying to hold out hope that our trusted fellow vegan small business wasnt doing something so horrific, we scoured the internet for possible sprinkle dupes that would make it make sense," he wrote.

They ordered the sprinkles the owner claimed were the ones used, but they are not labeled vegan and they do not even match the ones on the donut, he wrote, adding that they then ordered an at-home gluten test trusted and used by gluten-sensitive and allergic individuals and the donut contained "substantial amounts of gluten."

"We can only assume, given this recognizable logo design, where these donuts really came from and what other ingredients they might contain," he wrote. "We have cut all personal and business ties with this person effective immediately. We are mortified that we provided any of her products to our customers and our own family. We trusted a well-known, highly recommended vegan and gluten-free baker who has claimed to be working as a pastry chef for over 15 years."

In a series of reported texts between he and Siriani, which he shared on Instagram, he expressed concern over mistakenly selling a donut that could he believed could possibly kill someone with "a severe food allergy."

She replied that the donuts were "definitely not Dunkin' Donuts!"

"If you don't wanna put them out, don't! But they are not Dunkin Donuts!" she added.

And when he wrote that he did not mean to insult her, she said that she would send a photo of the ingredients later, and he responded that the sprinkles look like those of Dunkin. She then exclaims, "I would never do that!" She later sent him a photo of the sprinkles she says were used, but they are different with multiple colors and spell out the phrase, "Happy Birthday!"

The owners later claimed that they filed complaints with a supervisor of Food Safety and Inspection at the state's Department of Agriculture and Markets.

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LI Bakery Disputed As Source Of Alleged Fake Vegan Donuts: State - Patch