Pub trade products on contaminated foods list
Pub trade suppliers Coca-Cola, Walkers, Brake and Booker are among the companies which have withdrawn products contaminated by the Sudan 1 dye.
The Food Standards Agency has added another 100 products to the initial list of 350 published last week. The products have been contaminated by a batch of Worcester Sauce which contained chilli powder made with the banned dye.
The sauce was made for Premier Foods, owner of brands including Crosse & Blackwell and Branston, and used in products including ready meals, soups and sauces.
While most were supplied to supermarkets, the FSA list also includes batches of Schweppes Tomato Juice Cocktail from Coca-Cola, Walkers Worcester Sauce flavour crisps, seven Booker sauces and dressings, including some of its Chef's Larder products, and two Brake products. The FSA has said it expects the list to continue to grow.
Brake said it has been in touch with customers who have been supplied with the products, while Booker said customers can return products.
Mark Collier, Booker marketing director, said: "We will keep customers fully informed as Booker becomes aware of any other products affected by Sudan 1. Booker will continue to work hard with suppliers to maintain and raise the standards of our products."
Coca-Cola said pubs should remove any affected products from sale immediately. Batches of more than a case should be returned to the supplier for a refund, and less than a case disposed of and a refund claimed.
PepsiCo, owner of the Walkers brand said it has stopped production of Worcester Sauce crisps "until further notice" and asked customers to remove them from sale. Pubs needing further guidance should contact their usual Walkers supplier.
Food Standards Agency chief executive Dr Jon Bell said: "Sudan 1 could contribute to an increased risk of cancer. However, at the levels present the risk is likely to be very small but it is sensible to avoid eating any more. There is no risk of immediate ill health.
"The Agency is working with the industry to ensure that any remaining affected products are speedily removed. Because of the widespread use of this Worcester sauce to flavour other foods, we may find further affected products. We will continue to take action to remove these and minimise the risk to consumers."
Sudan is banned in the UK and across the EU, and since July 2003 all chilli powder imported into the UK has to be certified free of Sudan 1. The FSA and local authorities randomly sample more than 1,000 consignments a year of imported chilli products.
However, the batch involved predates this sampling programme and was uncovered after sampling of Worcester sauce produced by Premier Foods and exported to Italy.
Premier Foods said in a statement: "The ingredient was supplied to Premier from a reputable UK source, who themselves had been supplied by another UK company. Premier received written assurance that the chilli powder did not contain Sudan 1."
It added: "It must be stressed that the product withdrawal is a purely precautionary measure, and the levels at which Sudan 1 occurs in the products concerned presents no immediate risk to health."
The list of products affected can be found at: http://www.food.gov.uk/safereating/sudani/sudanlist
