Bart Spices and Co-op paprika contaminated with illegal dye
Friday 29 April 2005
Bart Spices Ltd is recalling its own brand ground paprika and Co-op brand ground paprika due to contamination with the illegal dye Para Red. The Food Standards Agency has issued a Food Alert for Information.
Para Red is not a permitted colour under the Colours in Food Regulations 1995 and so should not be used in foodstuffs for any purpose. It is chemically very similar to Sudan I. The Agency�s independent scientific experts have advised that, although there is very limited data available, it would be prudent to assume that it could be a genotoxic carcinogen.
The products affected are:
- Bart Ground Paprika in 48g glass jars, Batch Codes 5032 Best Before End Dec 2007 and Batch Number 5089 Best Before End Dec 2007
- Co-op Ground Paprika in 46g glass jars Batch Code 5075 Best Before End Feb 2007
No other batch/date codes of these products are known to be affected.
Bart Spices Ltd has undertaken a full product recall and is placing product recall notices in national newspapers on 30 April 2005. The Co-op has instructed its stores to take its own brand paprika off the shelves and display point-of-sale notices.
Food Alerts
Food alerts are the FSA's way of letting local authorities and consumers know about problems associated with food and, in some cases, providing details of specific action to be taken.
They are issued under two categories:
- Food Alerts: for Action
- Food Alerts: for Information