Undeclared allergen found in prepackaged snacks produced in Canada

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (April 21) noted that a batch of prepackaged snacks produced in Canada was wrongly packed with snacks of another flavour containing wheat, a known allergen, and it was not declared on the product's food label. Consumers who are allergic to wheat are advised to refrain from eating the product concerned. The trade should also stop selling the affected product immediately.

Product details are as follows:

Product name: Myprotein Salt & Vinegar Protein Puffs
Place of origin: Canada
Batch code: X15132
Pack size: 10 packets (30 grams each) per box
Best before date: June 2016

"The Centre received a notification from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) of the European Commission that certain packs of the above-mentioned multipack product in salt and vinegar flavour contained BBQ flavour due to a packaging error. The BBQ flavoured product contained wheat, which was not mentioned on the food label. According to the information provided by the RASFF, the UK retailer concerned is recalling the affected product which has been sold online at the Myprotein website and can be delivered to Hong Kong.

"Wheat is a kind of cereals containing gluten which is a known food allergen. Those who are allergic to it may develop symptoms like vomiting, diarrhoea, asthma and rash upon consumption. In severe cases anaphylactic shock may even develop," the spokesman said.

He said the CFS had sent staff to conduct sales check at local outlets but no affected product had been found so far. The CFS will also alert the trade of the incident and urge them to stop using or selling the affected batch of product immediately should they have imported and still possess the product.

The spokesman advised consumers who have bought the affected product and are allergic to wheat to stop eating it immediately, and to seek medical treatment if they feel unwell after taking the food.

The CFS will continue to monitor the situation and take appropriate follow-up actions.

Ends/Tuesday, April 21, 2015