Urgent warning for 'all' mustard products in UK after sandwiches ‘contaminated’

Urgent warning for 'all' mustard products in UK after sandwiches ‘contaminated’
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


An urgent warning for ALL mustard products in the UK has been issued - after sandwiches were "contaminated". Mustard ingredients can be found in food such as dips, sauces, salads and pre-packed sandwiches, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has said.

The FSA is urgently working with the relevant Local Authorities, individual businesses and industry to identify which products may be affected. It said: "We have traced the contaminated mustard ingredients to a producer in India called GT Agro Industries and have identified one company who has supplied these ingredients for use in UK food."

It said: "If there is a risk that mustard could be unintentionally present in food there will be a ‘may contain’ label for mustard. If you are eating out, please ask the cafe or restaurant staff if any of their products contain mustard – by law, food businesses must provide this information to customers."

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Signs and symptoms of an allergy usually occur within minutes of contact with with the offending food or trigger, but they can also come on up to one hour later. Most allergic reactions are mild but they can also be moderate or severe.

It said: "When we find an individual product is affected, we will issue a specific allergy alert on our website. The UK company affected, FGS Ingredients Ltd, has advised their customers to remove from sale products containing the contaminated mustard ingredients.

"We have asked industry to review their food supply systems and remove from sale any products that may have contaminated mustard ingredients." Food Standards Agency’s Director of Food Policy, Rebecca Sudworth, said: “Those with a peanut allergy should avoid consuming products containing mustard as an ingredient until we identify the individual products affected. 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."