Contamination of Golden Sun Palm Oil with Sudan IV dye

Friday 23 July 2004

Category C: For action as deemed necessary

Ref: 32/2004 (England) D33/2004 (Scotland)

Category D: For Information Only (Scotland)

A batch of Golden Sun Palm Oil has been found to be contaminated with the illegal dye, Sudan IV.

Sudan IV is not a permitted colour under the Colours in Food Regulations 1995. It is considered to be a genotoxic carcinogen and its presence, at any level is not permitted in foodstuffs for any purpose.

The affected product was manufactured in Ghana and is distributed in England by:

• Macphilips Foods Ltd, Unit 2, Golden House, Waterden Road, London E15 2EE.
• Wanis Ltd, Golden House, 44 Waterden Road, London, E15 2EE.

Most of the product has been sold directly to the public from Wanis Ltd through their retail outlet but they have also distributed it to cash and carry stores/retail outlets in London and Birmingham. The product has not been distributed to or within Scotland.

Identification of the products.
The affected batch has a Best Before End date of December 2005.

The product is sold in a clear plastic 1 Litre bottle with a blue plastic screw top lid. There is a label on the front of the bottle that reads:

GOLDEN SUN
PALM OIL
(Produce of Ghana)
Ingredients;
Pure Palm Oil
Suitable for:
Egusi, Okra and Bitter leaf soup
Best before End Dec 2005
Net Contents: 1Ltr

All of the lettering is in black on a red background. The contents of the bottle are red in colour.

To assist local authorities in correct identification of this product, pictures can be accessed from the link at the foot of this page.

Actions to be taken by local authorities
The product presents a health risk if consumed in sufficient quantity, and does not comply with the food safety requirements specified in the Food Safety Act 1990 due to contamination with Sudan IV. In addition Sudan IV is not a permitted colour.

If any of this batch of product is found within their area, enforcement officers should ensure that it is withdrawn and destroyed, if necessary using powers under The Food Safety Act. Wanis Ltd has displayed a point of sale notice in its’ retail outlet in Hackney and has contacted their customers to try to withdraw the product, however the withdrawal has not been successful and there remains the possibility that unused affected product is in consumers homes. local authorities in whose area the affected product is known to have been sold, are therefore asked to consider providing local publicity at the next available opportunity.

It is essential that all Non Unitary Authorities liaise at county level to ensure that they co-ordinate their actions.