The food safety watchdog has issued a warning after identifying some imported Dubai-style chocolate products that could pose a risk to consumers with allergies.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said some imported products may not be intended for sale in the UK and therefore not include a full ingredients list or allergen labelling, posing a health risk to individuals with food allergies.
It said imported chocolates may also contain additives and colours which are not allowed on the UK market.
The FSA said it was surveying and sampling the products to work out the scale of the issue, and working with allergy charities in the meantime to raise awareness of the risk with consumers.
The watchdog said that “most” Dubai-style chocolate available in UK shops was safe, but “if in doubt, don’t buy it and report any concerns to your local authority”.
By law, labels must list all ingredients and clearly highlight any of the 14 regulated allergens.
The FSA advised consumers to look out for labelling details to check whether a product is intended for sale here.
By law, products made to UK standards should have labels in English containing the name of the food, for example, milk chocolate with pistachio paste filling, a list of ingredients with allergens emphasised, the weight of the food in grams and a best before or use by date.
Labels must also include the name and address of the UK or EU business responsible for the product information. If the food is not from the UK or EU, the name and address of the importer must be included.
Professor Robin May, chief scientific adviser to the FSA, said that the “vast majority of food in the UK is safe, but some imported Dubai-style chocolate products don’t meet our standards and could be a food safety risk, especially for consumers with allergies”.
“If you are looking to buy Dubai-style chocolate, we advise sticking with trusted retailers, like the ones you’d use for your weekly shop, as products are more likely to be made for UK consumers and so are safe to eat.
“As it’s difficult for consumers to tell the difference between products made for the UK and those that aren’t, if you have a food allergy or intolerance, we advise that you do not buy the product unless you’re certain it’s intended for sale here.
“UK law requires food labels to highlight any of 14 allergens present in the product, but some imported products may not do this. You can find more information on food.gov.uk.
“If you have concerns about chocolate that you see on sale, don’t buy it and instead report it to your local authority. We are working closely with local authorities to make sure that any unsafe products are removed from sale as swiftly as possible.”
Anyone who has concerns about products they have purchased should not eat them, especially if they have food allergies or intolerances.
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