The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) has advised anyone with an allergy to peanuts to avoid consuming mustard, after discovering products containing the mustard ingredient as a potential source of hidden contaminants. Mustard and its derivatives are commonly used in dip, sauce, and salad recipes, as well as in some pre-packaged sandwiches. The FSA has identified around 50 products that have been recalled due to mustard contamination. It is advising individuals with peanut allergies to carefully review the packaging labels of any food products or to ask restaurant or takeaway staff about the ingredients of meals that include mustard.
The FSA discovered the contamination issues by tracing mustard ingredients back to a supplier in India, known as GT Agro Industries. It revealed that one UK-based company, FGS Ingredients, had received the contaminated mustard ingredient that had been intended for use in UK food. Peanut allergies can result in life-threatening complications, so the government agency is taking a cautious approach to ensure the safety of allergic individuals.
Rebecca Sudworth, Director of Food Policy at the FSA, stated that consumers with peanut allergies should completely refrain from consuming any products containing mustard until the agency has identified the list of individual products that are potentially contaminated. The FSA plans to update the public with further information on the matter to provide clarity on the available options for anyone impacted by the advisory. All food packaging materials containing mustard must be labelled in bold as an allergen, according to the agency. If there is a danger that mustard may be unintentionally present in foodstuffs, the mustard will be labelled with a “may contain” warning.
Peanut allergies are widespread and affect one in every 50 children. They are no longer allowed in many schools. The human body reacts to the protein content in peanuts, causing an allergic reaction. The extent of the reaction can vary from mild to severe, and as such, potential contaminants are a significant risk. Common allergic symptoms to food include dizziness, an itchy skin or a raised skin rash, swollen lips, face, and eyes, noisy breathing, coughing, vomiting, abdominal ache, and diarrhoea
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