Tesco issues urgent recall of mini breadsticks over fears sesame coating was incorrectly added in multipack – posing a risk to customers with allergies

• Supermarket giant urges anyone with an allergy to return the sticks for a refund 
• Tesco blames it on a packaging error – anyone returning does not need receipt 
• The £1.30 Tesco brand mini breadsticks have been mislabelled as another type

Tesco has today issued a recall of its own-brand breadsticks over fears they contain sesame and could be fatal for allergy sufferers.

Several batches of the £1.30 mini snacks do not list sesame seeds as an ingredient, which the supermarket giant blamed on a packaging error.

Tesco has called for anyone with an allergy who bought the sticks to immediately return them for a full refund. 

The £1.30 Tesco own brand mini breadsticks have urgently been recalled by the supermarket giant

In a statement, the supermarket said: ‘We have been made aware by our supplier that due to a manufacturing error, there is the possibility that packets of mini breadsticks which have a sesame coating may have been incorrectly packed into multi pack bags of Tesco Mini breadsticks, which means that sesame will not be declared on the packaging.

‘Please do not eat if you have an allergy to sesame. Please return the affected products to store  where a full refund will be given. No receipt is required.

‘Tesco apologises to our customers for an inconvenience caused.’ 

Those with a severe intolerance to sesame seeds can suffer choking and in rare and extreme cases, it can cause suffers to die. 

A spokesperson for a group that helps severe allergy sufferers, the Anaphylaxis Campaign said: ‘Anaphylaxis is a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction affecting more than one body system such as the airways, heart, circulation, gut and skin.  

Tesco apologised to customers in a statement and urged anyone with a sesame allergy to return the product to store

‘Symptoms can start within seconds or minutes of exposure to the food or substance you are allergic to and usually will progress rapidly.

‘The common causes of anaphylaxis include foods such as peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, shellfish, fish, sesame seeds and kiwi fruit, although many other foods have been known to trigger anaphylaxis. 

‘There may be a dramatic fall in blood pressure – anaphylactic shock.

‘The person may become weak and floppy and may have a sense of something terrible happening.

‘This may lead to collapse, unconsciousness and – on rare occasions – death.’  

Some of the six pack mini breadsticks accidentally contain sesame coated sticks that were meant for other packaging

The Food Standards Agency said: ‘Sometimes there will be a problem with a food product that means it should not be sold.

‘Then it might be ‘withdrawn’ – taken off the shelves – or ‘recalled’ – when customers are asked to return the product.

‘Sometimes foods have to be withdrawn or recalled if there is a risk to consumers because the allergy labelling is missing or incorrect or if there is any other food allergy risk.’   

The mis-labelled batches all have a best before date of October 2021 and come under codes U3032, U3033, U3041, U3042, U3043, U3051, U3052, U3053. 

Source: Read Full Article