Urgent FSA warning for peanut allergy sufferers to avoid mustard products amid contamination fears

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has emphasised that individuals with a peanut allergy should continue to avoid consuming products containing mustard, as investigations into contaminated products are still ongoing. Earlier this week, the agency issued urgent allergy advice and began collaborating with local authorities, businesses, and the industry to identify potentially affected products.

These products may contain contaminated mustard ingredients from GT Agro Industries, an Indian producer. FGS Ingredients, a Leicester-based firm supplied by the FSA with these ingredients for use in UK food, announced on Saturday that it had conducted additional testing across its ingredients and had "not detected any presence of peanut content or residue".

Darren Whitby, the FSA's head of incidents, stated: "Our advice still applies those with a peanut allergy should avoid consuming products containing mustard as an ingredient until we identify the individual products affected."

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He added: "Parents and carers of children who have a peanut allergy should take care to check the labels of food they buy and, if eating out, or getting a takeaway, ask the restaurant or cafe about foods that might contain mustard."

He assured that consumers would be updated as soon as more information was available. Mustard ingredients can be found in various foods such as dips, sauces, salads, and pre-packed sandwiches, which could potentially contain traces of peanut, posing a severe risk to those with an allergy.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has urged the industry to re-examine their food supply systems and withdraw any products that could contain contaminated mustard ingredients from sale.

Highlighting the need for caution, the FSA conveyed the message due to a precautionary approach so that people with a peanut allergy have up to date information about the potential risk and can take action to keep themselves safe.

Subsequently, FGS Ingredients Ltd suggested to its customers that they should stop selling items containing the tainted mustard ingredients.

Maintaining its commitment to safety, the company confirmed that peanuts are not included in its spices or permitted on its production site. Moreover, it applies rigorous controls to prevent unintentional allergen introduction.

A spokesman said: "As a family-owned business that was established 74 years ago and is now in its third generation of leadership, we have grown to proudly become the principal supplier of natural spices to food producers across the UK and to businesses internationally.

"We have never previously been involved in any incident of food contamination. Nevertheless, we continue to support the FSA investigation in any way that is necessary."