Contamination of Tesco Barbecue Flavoured Rice Cakes with Sudan I and Para Red

Friday 29 April 2005

Food Alert: for Information

Ref: 24/2005

A product recall has been issued by Tesco Stores Ltd. of their barbecue flavoured rice cakes 130g due to contamination with the illegal dyes Sudan I and Para Red.

Sudan I and Para Red are not permitted colours under the Colours in Food Regulations 1995 and are not permitted in foodstuffs for any purpose. Sudan I is considered to be a genotoxic carcinogen and its presence at any level is not permitted in foodstuffs for any purpose. Para Red is chemically very similar to Sudan I . The Agency�s independent scientific experts have advised that, although there is very limited data available, it would be prudent to assume that it could be a genotoxic carcinogen.

The product affected is:

• Tesco BBQ Flavoured Rice Cakes 130g

All lot codes with the following 'best before' dates have been withdrawn from sale.

• best before end Nov 05 and End Dec 05

No other batch / date codes of this product is known to be affected.

Tesco Stores Ltd. has withdrawn this product from sale and will be informing customers by placing a notice on the shelf where the product can normally be found. The notice will read;

Product recall
This concerns Tesco BBQ Rice Cakes 130g
Please ask at Customer Service Desk for details.

The notice will be being displayed from this weekend (30 April 2005).