Product Recall by Ye Olde Oak Foods Ltd of Canned Hot Dog Sausages
Monday 14 January 2002
Category C: For Action as Deemed Necessary
Heads of Environmental Health Services and Directors of Trading Standards will wish to be aware of a product recall by Ye Olde Oak Foods Ltd of canned hot dog sausages produced by the Struik Food Group in the Netherlands.
Both the manufacturer and the importer are as stated in food hazard warning 52/2001 (dated 21 December 2001).
However, since issuing this food hazard warning, the Food Standards Agency has received a notification from a local authority, via Food Standards Agency Wales, regarding Ye Olde Oak Food¿s own brand of hot dog sausages.
At a recent meeting, the Struik Food Group and Ye Olde Oak Foods Ltd confirmed that this product is similarly affected to that in food hazard warning 52/2001 (ie contents can be spoiled and foul smelling).
A small number of customer complaints have been received, although again there are no known complaints alleging illness.
The details of the product involved are as follows.
Products Recalled by Ye Olde Oak Foods Ltd
Product Name: Ye Olde Oak 8 Premium Hot Dogs
Batch Codes: Best before dates of September 2004 and October 2004
Description and Size of Packaging: 400g can
Action taken by Ye Olde Oak Foods Ltd
Ye Olde Oak Foods Ltd supply a number of retailers, including major supermarkets, with the above branded product.
The Company advises that a withdrawal from those retailers believed to have received affected product has already been done.
In addition, the Company advises it has more recently contacted these retailers again (and those not believed to have received affected product) to try and ensure as effective a withdrawal as possible.
However, a proportion of cans has already been sold and so the Company is recalling these by placing the attached press advert in the national media as well as issuing a news release tomorrow (January 14 2002).
Customer Return Notice to be Issued by Ye Olde Oak Foods Ltd
¿CUSTOMER RETURN NOTICE
TINNED HOT DOG SAUSAGES 400g
Due to Ye Olde Oaks commitment to the highest standards of safety and quality, we have taken the precautionary measure of re-calling 8 Premium Hot Dogs with the following Best Before codes:
Best Before End: September 2004 and October 2004
Only the above codes are affected.
All customers in possession of 8 Premium Hot Dogs with these codes should not open the can.
The cans should be disposed of, but before doing so, please remove the label and send to:
Ye Olde Oak Foods Ltd, Customer Care Department, Bellerive House, Muirfield Crescent, London E14 9SZ
Please include your name, address and the can code and a full refund will be returned including postage.
Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused. We would like to thank customers in advance for your understanding and co-operation.
If you have any questions whatsoever please call our:
Customer care line on: Freephone 0800 0288114¿
Action taken by the Food Standards Agency:
As the product is manufactured in the Netherlands, the FSA has notified the EC via the Rapid Alert System For Foodstuffs. In addition, a press statement will today be placed on the FSA website as below.
Press Statement by the FSA
¿More cans of hot dogs withdrawn and recalled
Product recall by Ye Olde Oak Foods Ltd of its own brand canned hot sausages
Ye Olde Oak Foods Ltd has withdrawn and recalled the following hot dog products:
8 Premium Hot Dog Sausages
400g cans
Best before date of Sept 2004
8 Premium Hot Dog Sausages
400g cans
Best before date of Oct 2004
This action relates to the same issue that led to product recalls by Asda and Lidl in December 2001.
The Food Standards Agency has now been notified that Ye Olde Oak Food¿s own brand hot dog sausages are similarly affected by the same problem (ie contents spoiled and foul smelling).
A small number of customer complaints have been received, although again there are no known complaints alleging illness.
The Food Standards Agency advises consumers not to open or eat these specific cans of hot dogs and to check that they do not have any in their kitchen cupboards.
Ye Olde Oak Foods Ltd supplies a number of retailers, including major supermarkets, with its own brand.
It has contacted retailers to try to ensure a withdrawal of the product, however, some of the affected cans will have already been sold and may be in people¿s kitchen cupboards.
The Food Standards Agency has issued a Food Hazard Warning to local authorities advising them of the problem and the action taken by the company.¿
Action to be taken by local authorities where deemed necessary: Given the nature of the problem, and that this type of product is likely to remain for long periods in consumers homes between purchase and consumption, local authorities are asked to consider providing publicity to this issue locally.
Local authorities may wish to use the FSA¿s statement as a guide as to what to say in any local news release.
Additional Information:
The originating authority for Ye Olde Oak Foods Ltd is the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, and the officer dealing with this issue is Adrian Grieves, who can be contacted on 0207 364 6904.