Latest news with #allergycharities
The Sun
2 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
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. We've outdone ourselves with this one' say Cadbury Ireland as they reveal new limited edition bar 'coming soon 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 2
The Independent
2 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Imported Dubai-style chocolate could pose food safety risk, watchdog warns
Some imported Dubai-style chocolate products could pose a risk to consumers with allergies, the food safety watchdog has warned. Those with food allergies should be careful when buying the popular chocolate as some imported products may not be intended for sale in the UK and could lack a full ingredients list or allergen labelling, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) said. The watchdog said it had identified a number of products that posed a health risk to consumers with allergies. Some of these products may also contain additives and colours which are not allowed on the UK market, it added. The FSA said it was surveying and sampling the products to work out the scale of the issue, and working with allergy charities in the meantime to raise awareness of the risk with consumers. It said that 'most' Dubai-style chocolate available in UK shops was safe. The FSA said: 'If in doubt, don't buy it and report any concerns to your local authority.' By law, labels must list all ingredients and clearly highlight any of the 14 regulated allergens. The FSA advised consumers to look out for labelling details to check whether a product is intended for sale here. By law, products made to UK standards should have labels in English containing the name of the food – for example, milk chocolate with pistachio paste filling – a list of ingredients with allergens emphasised, the weight of the food in grams and a best before or use by date. Labels must also include 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. Professor Robin May, chief scientific adviser 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. 'As it's difficult for consumers to tell the difference between products made for the UK and those that aren't, if you have a food allergy or intolerance, we advise that you do not buy the product unless you're certain it's intended for sale here. 'UK law requires food labels to highlight any of 14 allergens present in the product, but some imported products may not do this. You can find more information on 'If you have concerns about chocolate that you see on sale, don't buy it and instead report it to your local authority. We are working closely with local authorities to make sure that any unsafe products are removed from sale as swiftly as possible.' Anyone who has concerns about products they have purchased should not eat them, especially if they have food allergies or intolerances.
