The Food Standards Agency (FSA) first issued an urgent allergy advisory on September 20th, strongly advising against mustard consumption for those allergic to peanuts. FSA Director of Food Policy, Rebecca Sudworth released a statement saying: “Those with a peanut allergy should avoid consuming products containing mustard as an ingredient”.
Contamination in UK foods has been linked back to three suppliers in India, including GT Agro Industries, specifically affecting mustard-related products.
On October 1st, UK company FGS Ingredients Ltd recalled 66 products containing mustard powder because of undeclared peanuts. This is set to be only the beginning for businesses, with ongoing recalls expected in the coming days.
"Those with a peanut allergy should avoid consuming products containing mustard as an ingredient"
The FSA has launched an investigation to determine the variety and volume of mustard products on UK shelves that now contain peanuts. This process is likely to be long and complex due to the current lack of certainty over exactly which products have been contaminated.
CEO of Allergy UK, Simon Miles also released a statement saying: “We strongly advise anyone with a peanut allergy to follow the FSA’s advice”.
The FSA is continuing to work closely with local authorities, food businesses, and relevant agencies to identify all UK products that have been affected. Until the investigation has reached a certain conclusion, advice for those affected by a peanut allergy remains the same - avoid consumption of any food products that contain mustard.
