UK issues recalls of contaminated food

Ingredient contamination cause of latest round of food recalls as the UK's Food Standard Agency (FSA) announced the withdrawal of three food products last week due to the presence of Sudan I, undeclared irradiation and contamination.

The ongoing discovery of Sudan Red, which is an industrial dye normally used to color shoe polish, plastics, oil and other synthetic products but was banned after it was discovered to be a potential carcinogen, has shaken up the British food market, with over 600 well-known processed foods pulled from UK shelves in February 2005 alone. Batches of Rajah Premium Hot Curry Powder and Rajah Premium Mild Curry Powder that were sold at the following supermarkets: Somerfields, Budgens and Kwik Save have been withdrawn from sale because of traces of the illegal dye Sudan I that were discovered in the curry powder.

The affected products, sold by BE International Foods in 100g tins and 425g tins, have a best before date of up to and including June 2008. The affected products also come in a 400g packet with a best before date of June 2007. Products with later best before dates are not affected.

In order to avoid such problems Brussels now requires that imports of chili and chili products including curry powder must be certified they are free of the illegal chemical dyes.

If that wasn't enough to upset shoppers and merchants in the UK, Nong Shim noodle based snacks have been withdrawn due to the undeclared presence of irradiated ingredients and the FSA has now identified further companies: Korea Foods Company, J K Foods, Rose Kibong, Green Farm, S W Trading, Songs Supermarket and Jo Enterprise that have imported the implicated Nong Shim Brand products.

Irradiation which is used to prolong the shelf life of food products and/or to reduce health hazards is an accepted manufacturing process in the USA and approved for use since 1963, the European consumer remains skeptical of the food safety aspect.

Last but not least two complaints of a glass-like substance being found in sunflower seed products from Nature's Harvest by Holland and Barrett has been forced to withdraw specific batches of the seeds. Holland and Barrett has started the recall by withdrawing all of the affected items and point-of-sale notices in all stores.