18.2.05
BreakingNews.ie
Cancer-linked colourant prompts product alert
18/02/2005 - 14:18:09
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has advised consumers to throw out or return some 39 food products which contain an illegal, cancer-linked, red food dye.
The colourant, Sudan Red 1, was used to manufacture chilli powder. A total of 39 food products, available on the Irish market, are implicated.
The Food Safety Authority details are published below.
Sudan Red 1, an industrial dye, has been banned as a food colourant throughout Europe since 2003 due to its carcinogenic properties. The FSAI is advising consumers that if they have these products, they should either throw them out or return them to the shop where they purchased them.
The Authority is working with Irish retailers and manufacturers to immediately recall any affected products and remove them from the market. A list of known products is available on the Authority's website www.fsai.ie and will be updated on an ongoing basis until the Authority is satisfied that no contaminated product is available on the Irish market.
The Authority's warning follows information received from the Food Standards Agency in the UK concerning the discovery that Premier Foods (UK) had used chilli powder contaminated with Sudan Red 1 in the manufacture of Worcester sauce. The chilli powder used had been imported from India into the UK. Premier Foods supplies to various branded products and manufacturers of other food products, such as ready meals and soups.
The FSAI has been informed that, following investigation, UK Premier Foods was found to have distributed the colourant to six manufacturers in Ireland, of which five distribute products here.
While 39 products are currently identified in Ireland, at least 350 food products may be implicated in the UK. It is unknown, at present, how many of these may be available on the Irish market.
Companies who have received contaminated product are being informed, and are in the process of recalling products in Ireland and the UK. Retailers are also removing the products in question from shelves.
Dr. John O'Brien, Chief Executive, FSAI, said: "The use of Sudan Red 1 in foods is totally unacceptable. Consumers have a right to be protected from unnecessary exposure to contaminants in the food supply.
"While the colourant Sudan Red 1 has been found to have carcinogenic properties, it would have to be consumed over a long period of time in order to pose a significant health risk.
"Nonetheless, it is very important that all manufacturers, retailers and consumers follow the advice being issued by the Authority in order to ensure that there is no further consumption of the affected products in Ireland."
Dr O'Brien added that it is illegal to use Sudan Red 1 in food or food products and that new European legislation places a legal obligation on food businesses to not only have recall and traceability systems in place, but to provide information to consumers on recalls, and to recall products from them when there are identified health risks.
A key element of that legislation is for all food business operators to take responsibility in guaranteeing that products being supplied to consumers are safe and legal.
List of affected products in the Irish market:
- Cross and Blackwell Worcester Sauce, all sizes, Best Before Dates: 2008, 2009 & 2010
- Pot Noodle, Beef and Tomato (Single Pack), all date codes
- Pot Noodle, Bacon Sizzler (Single Unit), all date codes
- Pot Noodle, Beef and Tomato (4 Pack), all date codes
- Pot Noodle, Beef and Tomato (Single Unit) 33 % Extra Free, all date codes
- Pot Noodle, Beef and Tomato King Pot , all date codes
- Coleman's seafood sauce
- Dawn Fresh cottage pie
- Tesco chilled cottage pie,
- Tesco Value chilled cottage pie
- Bird's Eye healthy options chicken hotpot, frozen
- Bird's Eye Traditional Meals Shepherd's Pie, frozen 375g, all date codes
- Green Isle Ready Meal Beef Casserole, frozen 400g
- Green Isle Ready Meal Chicken Casserole, frozen 400g
- Green Isle Ready Meal Creamy Beef & Peppercorn, frozen 400g
- Heinz Weight Watchers Shepherds Pie, frozen 320g, all date codes
- Heinz Weight Watchers Beef Hotpot, frozen 320g, all date Codes
- Heinz Weight Watchers Chicken/BBQ Sauce & Potato, frozen 330g, all date codes
- Heinz Lamb Hotpot, frozen 340g, all date codes
- Heinz Shepherds Pie, frozen 340g, all date codes
- Waitrose* Pasta Leek & Bacon Chilled
- Waitrose* Pizza Thin & Crispy Cheese and Tomato Chilled 430g
- Waitrose* Pizza Thin & Crispy Cheese and Tomato Chilled 280g
- Waitrose* Lasagne Mediterranean Veg Chilled
- Aunt Bessies Cottage Pie Frozen 800g, all date codes
- Aunt Bessies Beef Cobbler Frozen 450g, all date codes
- Iceland Good Choice Chicken casserole & parsley mash ready meal Frozen 400g All date codes
- Iceland Good Choice BBQ chicken & potato wedges ready meal Frozen 400g All date codes
- Iceland Good Choice Chicken Hotpot Frozen 400g & 450g All date codes
Iceland Minced Beef Hotpot Frozen 500g All date codes
Iceland Cumberland Pie Frozen 500g All date codes
Iceland Sausage & Mash Frozen 400g All date codes
Iceland Seafood Food Sauce Ambient 540g All date codes
Iceland Smokey Bacon Pasta Cooking Sauce Ambient 440g All date codes
Iceland Sausage Casserole Cooking Sauce Ambient 450g All date codes
Iceland Red Wine Cooking Sauce Ambient 440g All date codes
* Supplied to Superquinn
Cancer-linked colourant prompts product alert
18/02/2005 - 14:18:09
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has advised consumers to throw out or return some 39 food products which contain an illegal, cancer-linked, red food dye.
The colourant, Sudan Red 1, was used to manufacture chilli powder. A total of 39 food products, available on the Irish market, are implicated.
The Food Safety Authority details are published below.
Sudan Red 1, an industrial dye, has been banned as a food colourant throughout Europe since 2003 due to its carcinogenic properties. The FSAI is advising consumers that if they have these products, they should either throw them out or return them to the shop where they purchased them.
The Authority is working with Irish retailers and manufacturers to immediately recall any affected products and remove them from the market. A list of known products is available on the Authority's website www.fsai.ie and will be updated on an ongoing basis until the Authority is satisfied that no contaminated product is available on the Irish market.
The Authority's warning follows information received from the Food Standards Agency in the UK concerning the discovery that Premier Foods (UK) had used chilli powder contaminated with Sudan Red 1 in the manufacture of Worcester sauce. The chilli powder used had been imported from India into the UK. Premier Foods supplies to various branded products and manufacturers of other food products, such as ready meals and soups.
The FSAI has been informed that, following investigation, UK Premier Foods was found to have distributed the colourant to six manufacturers in Ireland, of which five distribute products here.
While 39 products are currently identified in Ireland, at least 350 food products may be implicated in the UK. It is unknown, at present, how many of these may be available on the Irish market.
Companies who have received contaminated product are being informed, and are in the process of recalling products in Ireland and the UK. Retailers are also removing the products in question from shelves.
Dr. John O'Brien, Chief Executive, FSAI, said: "The use of Sudan Red 1 in foods is totally unacceptable. Consumers have a right to be protected from unnecessary exposure to contaminants in the food supply.
"While the colourant Sudan Red 1 has been found to have carcinogenic properties, it would have to be consumed over a long period of time in order to pose a significant health risk.
"Nonetheless, it is very important that all manufacturers, retailers and consumers follow the advice being issued by the Authority in order to ensure that there is no further consumption of the affected products in Ireland."
Dr O'Brien added that it is illegal to use Sudan Red 1 in food or food products and that new European legislation places a legal obligation on food businesses to not only have recall and traceability systems in place, but to provide information to consumers on recalls, and to recall products from them when there are identified health risks.
A key element of that legislation is for all food business operators to take responsibility in guaranteeing that products being supplied to consumers are safe and legal.
List of affected products in the Irish market:
- Cross and Blackwell Worcester Sauce, all sizes, Best Before Dates: 2008, 2009 & 2010
- Pot Noodle, Beef and Tomato (Single Pack), all date codes
- Pot Noodle, Bacon Sizzler (Single Unit), all date codes
- Pot Noodle, Beef and Tomato (4 Pack), all date codes
- Pot Noodle, Beef and Tomato (Single Unit) 33 % Extra Free, all date codes
- Pot Noodle, Beef and Tomato King Pot , all date codes
- Coleman's seafood sauce
- Dawn Fresh cottage pie
- Tesco chilled cottage pie,
- Tesco Value chilled cottage pie
- Bird's Eye healthy options chicken hotpot, frozen
- Bird's Eye Traditional Meals Shepherd's Pie, frozen 375g, all date codes
- Green Isle Ready Meal Beef Casserole, frozen 400g
- Green Isle Ready Meal Chicken Casserole, frozen 400g
- Green Isle Ready Meal Creamy Beef & Peppercorn, frozen 400g
- Heinz Weight Watchers Shepherds Pie, frozen 320g, all date codes
- Heinz Weight Watchers Beef Hotpot, frozen 320g, all date Codes
- Heinz Weight Watchers Chicken/BBQ Sauce & Potato, frozen 330g, all date codes
- Heinz Lamb Hotpot, frozen 340g, all date codes
- Heinz Shepherds Pie, frozen 340g, all date codes
- Waitrose* Pasta Leek & Bacon Chilled
- Waitrose* Pizza Thin & Crispy Cheese and Tomato Chilled 430g
- Waitrose* Pizza Thin & Crispy Cheese and Tomato Chilled 280g
- Waitrose* Lasagne Mediterranean Veg Chilled
- Aunt Bessies Cottage Pie Frozen 800g, all date codes
- Aunt Bessies Beef Cobbler Frozen 450g, all date codes
- Iceland Good Choice Chicken casserole & parsley mash ready meal Frozen 400g All date codes
- Iceland Good Choice BBQ chicken & potato wedges ready meal Frozen 400g All date codes
- Iceland Good Choice Chicken Hotpot Frozen 400g & 450g All date codes
Iceland Minced Beef Hotpot Frozen 500g All date codes
Iceland Cumberland Pie Frozen 500g All date codes
Iceland Sausage & Mash Frozen 400g All date codes
Iceland Seafood Food Sauce Ambient 540g All date codes
Iceland Smokey Bacon Pasta Cooking Sauce Ambient 440g All date codes
Iceland Sausage Casserole Cooking Sauce Ambient 450g All date codes
Iceland Red Wine Cooking Sauce Ambient 440g All date codes
* Supplied to Superquinn
