Halloumi and bread flours recalled on safety fears

The OOO Company withdrew garlic, basil and chilli oils and vacuum packed halloumi due to fears over a bacteria which causes the rare but potentially fatal illness botulism.

A notice, issued by the company on Friday (September 11), said none of its customers were known to have been taken ill but the recall was being carried as a “precautionary measure”.

'Potential risk of botulism'

The firm said in a statement: “The products have been recalled, as a lack of controlling factors in manufacture could give rise to a potential risk of botulism (a rare but serious illness caused by the toxin produced by clostridium botulinum bacteria).”

Wessex Mill spelt bread flours containing high levels of gluten were also recalled last week because the packets were mislabelled as 'low gluten'.

Company Clarks (Wantage) Ltd withdrew wholemeal and white varieties because the products posed a health risk to anyone with an allergy to spelt or intolerance to gluten.

For example, people with coeliac disease have adverse reactions to gluten and can suffer symptoms such as diarrhoea, bloating, abdominal pain, weight loss and tiredness.

Morrisons and Sainsbury recalls

Other recalls last week included: Morrisons’ Savers Cooked Ham due to listeria fears and Sainsbury withdrew its Basics soya drink after a manufacturing fault was said to have caused curdling.

Meanwhile, avoiding costly product recalls will be one of the subjects covered at the Food Manufacture Group’s one¬day food safety conference later this month.

The conference will examine the latest developments to ensure food safety from the farm, through manufacture and the supply chain, to products and packaging on sale.

Taking place at the Lowry in Manchester on Tuesday September 29, the event will provide the latest information on what more the industry can do to reassure consumers about the safety and authenticity of the food they eat.

Read more about the conference, Safer food and drink – from the harvest to the home, here.