Warning over Dubai chocolate as food safety experts say trendy treat could be deadly
A WARNING has been issued for Dubai-style chocolate products over concerns for customer health.
The FSA issued a warning on June 12 urging customers to remain cautious when purchasing the trendy chocolate product.
It comes after the watchdog identified a number of products that pose a health risk to customers with allergies.
Imported products may not be intended for sale within the UK and might not comply with UK labelling laws, meaning allergens might not be accurately labelled.
Other products may contain additives and colours which are banned in the UK market.
An investigation is underway as the FSA is surveying and sampling the products to work out how widespread the issue is.
They are also working alongside allergy charities to raise awareness of the risks to customer health.
While they reported that "most" of the Dubai-style chocolates available in UK shops was safe, customers are asked to remain vigilant and to report any concerns to your local authority.
Professor Robin May, chief scientific advisor to the FSA, said: "The vast majority of food in the UK is safe, but some imported Dubai-style chocolate products don't meet our standards and could be a food safety risk, especially for consumers with allergies.
"If you are looking to buy Dubai-style chocolate, we advise sticking with trusted retailers, like the ones you'd use for your weekly shop, as products are more likely to be made for UK consumers and so are safe to eat."
This advice is particularly important for customers with food allergies or intolerances, as Robin went on to say: "we advise you do not buy the product unless you're certain it's intended for sale here."
Customers that are concerned about specific products are advised not to buy it, and to report it to the local authorities so that it can be removed from sale"as swiftly as possible" if it fails to meet the FSA's standards.
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If you have already purchased a product that you're unsure of, customers are advised not to eat it.
In order to comply with UK regulations, food labels must highlight any of the 14 allergens present in the product.
Customers can look for certain information to check whether a product is UK legal compliant.
This includes a clearly labelled English description with the following information:
The name of the food e.g. milk chocolate with pistachio paste filling;
A list of ingredients, with allergens emphasised;
The weight of the food in grams;
A best before or use by date;
The name and address of the UK or EU business responsible for the product information. If the food is not from the UK or EU, the name and address of the importer must be included
Pistachios already present a risk to some customers, with tree nut allergies affecting 0.5% of the adult population.
Symptoms of a tree nut allergy usually occur within minutes but can take up to two hours.
Some people could suffer from severe allergies that result in life-threatening anaphylaxis so it is important to be informed on the foods you're consuming.
Labels should highlight if an item contains a tree nut, as well as including precautionary labelling like "may contain" to adequately inform customers.
For more information on food allergens and how to stay safe, consumers should visit food.gov.uk
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