The frozen foods manufacturer has become aware of a third-party distributor selling McCain Foods India retail products that it had imported as part of a small UK market trial.
The trial saw a limited number of packs from nine different product lines available in 20 local convenience stores from 19 May 2024.
Once aware of the imported products, McCain GB investigated and identified an error in the market suitability compliance check process by this third-party distributor. This means that although the items meet Indian market regulations, they have not been thoroughly assessed for UK market suitability.
As a result, there is a risk of the potential presence of UK specific allergens (such as mustard and celery) and ethylene oxide through its use to preserve product seasonings, given the differing regulations for use in the Indian market.
Almost 44,000 packs went on sale
McCain has ensured that all of the products implicated in the recall have been removed from sale, with nearly 25,000 packs withdrawn from the market. Out of a total of 43,663 packs, 18,671 were purchased by customers prior to removal of the products from shelves.
The recalled products are listed here: McCain Veggie Nuggets 325g, McCain Veggie Burger Patty 360g, McCain Aloo Tikki 400g, McCain Veggie Fingers 400g, McCain Chilli Garlic Potato Bites 420g, McCain Masala Fries 420g, McCain French Fries Pepper Crunch 420g, McCain Crazy Fries Hot N Tangy Masala Mix 400g and McCain Crazy Fries Herb n Garlic Masala Mix 400g. No other McCain products have been affected.
The recall applies to all batch codes and ‘best before’ dates for the above products. Customers that have purchased any of the items involved in the recall should not consume it and instead return the pack to the store they purchased it from for a full refund – with no receipt needed.
A McCain spokesperson said: “We take the safety and wellbeing of our customers extremely seriously and are recalling these products out of an abundance of caution. We apologise for the inconvenience caused.”
In other news, a bakery firm is recalling several baked products because they may contain small pieces of metal.
