The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued an urgent recall for more Dubai chocolate bars that pose severe health risks to Britons with nut allergies.
The Government body released a "Food Alert For Action" warning, informing shoppers that three chocolate bars contain peanuts and tree nuts not declared on their packaging.
The FSA confirmed that retailers and consumers must take swift action to prevent potential allergic reactions.
Officials have ordered the urgent withdrawal of these confectionery items from sale across Britain.
The FSA stated: "Food businesses selling the Dubai-style chocolate products are advised to immediately stop sales and undertake product withdrawals."
Where there have been sales to consumers, retailers should issue product recalls.
Three specific chocolate products have been identified as potentially dangerous: Noesis Shokolade Love of Dubai 95g, Fix it Dubai Kunafa Chocolate 50g, and Le Damas Dubai Chocolate Kunafa and Pistachio 200g.
The alert encompasses all batch numbers and expiry dates for the affected products.
FSA
|Three chocolate brands contain undeclared peanuts and tree nuts
The undisclosed ingredients include peanuts as well as tree nuts such as almonds, cashews, and walnuts.
None of these allergens appear properly listed on product labels, creating potentially life-threatening reactions.
Indeed, the agency emphasised that these products represent "a serious risk to anyone with an allergy to peanuts or other types of nuts".
The FSA explained that Black Sea Trading Ltd supplied these chocolates to British retailers.
FSA
|The bars pose a 'serious risk' to allergy sufferers
However, authorities have been unable to establish contact with the supplier, complicating recall efforts.
The communication breakdown with Black Sea Trading Ltd has forced food safety officials to bypass normal supplier channels and appeal directly to retailers and consumers.
Britons who have purchased these chocolates must dispose of them immediately. The FSA instructed: "If you have an allergy to peanuts or other types of nuts, don't buy these products, and if you have bought them, don't eat them."
Anyone who has already bought the affected confectionery should discard it at home.
Shoppers must then contact their local Trading Standards office in Great Britain or Environmental Health Officers in Northern Ireland. These authorities need information about where the chocolates were sold.
For information on peanut and tree nut allergies, including mild, moderate, and severe symptoms, visit Allergy UK.
Pack size: 95g
Lot numbers: All numbers
Best before: All dates
Pack size: 50g
Lot numbers: All numbers
Best before: All dates
Pack size: 200g
Lot numbers: All numbers
Best before: All dates
The FSA explained why food alerts, such as recalls and withdrawals, are issued. Although they are relatively rare, they must always be taken seriously to ensure customer safety.
Officials stated: "If there is 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).
"The FSA issues Product Recall Information Notices to let consumers and local authorities know about problems associated with food.
"In some cases, a 'Food Alert for Action' is issued. This provides local authorities with details of specific action to be taken on behalf of consumers."