The retailer said paprika used in the manufacture of the salmon portions had become contaminated with almond protein. Since this was undeclared on the packaging, it meant the salmon is a possible health risk to anyone with an allergy to almond.
The recall affects products marketed as Iceland 2 Blackened Salmon Portions, with a pack size of 260g.
Batches affected those with the ‘best before’ end: July 29 2016, lot number L5029, ‘best before’ end: August 2 2016, lot number L5033 and ‘best before’ end: September 5 2016, lot number L5064.
No other Iceland products are known to be affected by the recall.
Shoppers who have bought the products and have an allergy to almond are advised to return them to the retailer for a full refund.
Similar recalls involving paprika
Iceland’s announcement on Wednesday (April 8) follows similar recalls involving paprika contaminated with almond protein two months ago. In February, products sold by Tesco, Sainsbury and Morrisons, including its own-label meal kits, were withdrawn from sale after they were discovered to contain paprika contaminated with with traces of almond protein supplied by seasonings firm Santa Maria.
The appearance of the undeclared almond proteins may be linked to the failure of India’s cumin crop, some sources have suggested.
Last month, a leading scientist told FoodManufacture.co.uk the full extent of the health risk presented by undeclared almond was unknown because of the lack of data on their allergenic properties.
‘Little knowledge of almond allergies’
Worryingly little was known about almonds – unlike other allergens such as peanuts, said Clare Mills, professor of allergy at the University of Manchester. “It’s a challenge as we have relatively little knowledge of almond allergies [in the UK] because a lot of clinics don’t have the data of people reacting to them,” Mills said.
Meanwhile, the latest food safety advice will be on offer at the Food Manufacture Group’s one-day food safety conference at The Lowry, Manchester on Tuesday, September 29 2015.
The conference – ‘Safer food and drink: from the harvest to the plate’ – will comprise four sessions: minimising contamination in raw materials and ingredients; managing safety hazards and risks in processing, distribution and sale; delivering products that are safe throughout their shelf-life; and reassuring consumers about the safety of what they eat. See conference programme below.
Early bird tickets are available at the rate of £319 + VAT until June 30. After that date the rate will be £399 +VAT.
Food safety conference
Tuesday, September 29 2015
The Lowry, Manchester
09:00 Welcome and opening remarks by chairman
Session 1: Minimising contamination in raw materials and ingredients
This session will examine the threats to the food supply chain following the 2013 horsemeat contamination scandal and earlier incidents involving the contamination of ingredients: from Sudan 1 in chilli to melamine in milk; from emerging bacterial pathogens to chemical contamination. It will also report on progress with the Food Standard Agency’s Food Crime Unit, formed in the wake of Professor Chris Elliott’s report into ‘horsegate', and outline what is being done to address criminal activity in the sector.
11:00 Coffee
11:30 Session 2: Managing safety hazards and risks in processing, distribution and sale
Session 2 will look at the need to create better food safety cultures in the workplace to minimise foodborne hazards.
While people often know what they should be doing to ensure good food hygiene on the shopfloor, they don't always put this into practice and can cut corners. Presentations will explain how to instil the right behaviours. Others will describe what effective cleaning and sanitation looks like in today’s food manufacturing workplace and will cover the hygienic design of equipment and processes.
12:30 Panel debate (involving all speakers from morning sessions)
13:00 Lunch
14:00 Session 3: Delivering products that are safe throughout their shelf-life
Campylobacter infection from poultry is the largest cause of food poisoning incidents in the UK. With up to 70% of all fresh chicken on sale contaminated with campylobacter, this session will provide an update on various industry measures being taken to reduce levels of contamination: from better biosecurity on farms to new processing and packaging techniques. Other presentations during the session will focus on new systems for accurately measuring and extending food shelflife, together with risk assessment approaches for determining safety throughout shelflife.
15:00 Coffee
15:20 Session 4: Reassuring consumers about the safety of what they eat
The final session of the day will take a consumer perspective of food safety, with presentations describing how the general public view the food industry. It will cover what more needs to be done to reassure people about the safety of the food they buy and eat. It will also describe moves to provide clearer labelling of information for consumers and what is being done about the growing incidence of people with food allergies and intolerances.
16:30 Conference closes
Book your place here.