Sainsbury’s issues urgent ‘do not eat’ warning after pulling crisps from shelves over contamination fears

SAINSBURY’S has pulled bags of crisps from its shelves over fears they could trigger allergic reactions.

Some batches of Taste the Difference sea salt and hand-cooked chips with Suffolk cider vinegar from the supermarket have been recalled because they may contain milk, which is not listed as an ingredient on the packaging.

“This means that the product poses a possible health risk to anyone with an allergy or intolerance to milk or milk constituents and should not be consumed,” said the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

The warning applies to bags with an expiration date of October 26, 2024 and SKU code 6328534.

Affected customers should return the product to their nearest store for a full refund.

A Sainsbury’s spokesperson said: “This is an important safety warning.

“Sainsbury’s is recalling its Taste the Difference, Sea Salt and Suffolk Cider Vinegar crisps with the above expiry date as a precautionary measure as they may contain milk, which is not stated on the label.

“This means that the product may pose a risk to consumers with an allergy or intolerance to milk.

“If you purchased the product and are allergic to milk, do not eat it.

“Instead, return it to your local Sainsbury’s store for a full refund, with or without a receipt.

“No other Sainsbury’s products are affected and we would like to apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.”

The recall is listed on the FSA website and on store entrances and checkouts.

It is estimated that two million people in the UK live with some type of food allergy.

The most common is believed to be egg whites, followed by wheat, green beans, rye and almonds.

Reactions to these foods can range from sniffling or itching to life-threatening anaphylaxis, which blocks the airway.

Other symptoms may include:

• Swelling of the throat and tongue
• Difficulty breathing or breathing very quickly
• Difficulty swallowing, tightness in the throat or hoarse voice
• Wheezing, coughing or noisy breathing
• Feeling tired or confused
• Feeling faint, dizzy, or faint
• Skin that feels cold to the touch
• Blue, grayish, or pale skin, lips, or tongue (if you have dark or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or the soles of your feet)

Deaths from severe food reactions have declined over the past 20 years, analysis of 2021 UK NHS data found.

But there are still about 10 deaths annually, and hospital admissions for food-induced anaphylaxis have soared since the late 1990s.

Between 1998 and 2018, there was a three-fold increase per year, from 1.23 to 4.04 hospitalizations per 100 thousand inhabitants.