ASDA has issued an urgent recall of crisps due to a ‘packaging error’ which could make some people seriously ill.
The major retailer has withdrawn its Extra Special Sea Salt & Chardonnay Wine Vinegar Baked Chips removed from shelves and advised consumers with allergies not to eat them, as some packages contained Cheese and Onion Chips.
That’s why some bags of salt and vinegar chips contain milk that isn’t listed on the label.
“This means that the product poses a potential health risk to people with an allergy or intolerance to milk or milk components,” the Food Standards Agency (FSA) said in a warning.
Cow’s milk allergy is one of the most common food allergies in infants and young children.
Most children get over their allergy by the time they are five years old, but some people remain allergic to milk as adults.
“If this happens, people are more likely to experience more severe allergic reactions,” Allergy UK said.
A cow’s milk allergy can cause mild symptoms, but consuming it can also cause a severe reaction called anaphylaxis.
Asda has recalled Sea Salt & Chardonnay Wine Vinegar Crisps and removed them from shelves. Customers with a milk allergy or intolerance are also being warned not to eat the snack.
The relevant lots have an expiration date of September 21.
The shopkeeper asked people to return the chips to the store and they would receive a full refund without having to show a receipt.
This is in response to Waitrose recalling cupcakes due to a similar packaging error, which saw coffee and walnut biscuits mixed into the packaging of chocolate cupcakes.
Sainsbury’s also removed crisp bags from shelves last month after fears they contained milk that was not listed on the packaging.
Asda was one of several major retailers to recall lettuce-based sandwiches and wraps following an E. coli outbreak in the UK that left one person dead and hundreds sick and hospitalised.
Milk allergy vs milk intolerance
A cow’s milk allergy is an abnormal response by the body’s immune system that identifies proteins in a food (in this case, casein and whey proteins in cow’s milk) as potentially harmful.
People with a cow’s milk allergy may experience an immediate reaction when drinking milk. This reaction occurs within minutes to two hours afterwards.
Some people can also develop allergic reactions between two hours and three days after drinking milk. This is less common in adults, according to Allergy UK.
In dairy intolerance, the immune system is not involved.
It is caused by the inability to digest a certain sugar in milk, called lactose.
Usually the reactions do not occur until several hours and sometimes even days after you eat the food in question.
The symptoms caused by these reactions are usually intestinal complaints, such as bloating, diarrhea, constipation and IBS.
The signs of an allergic reaction and anaphylaxis
SYMPTOMS of an allergy usually occur within minutes of contact with the irritating food or trigger, but may not occur until an hour later.
Most allergic reactions are mild, but they can also be moderate or severe.
Anaphylaxis is the most serious form of allergic reaction and can be life-threatening.
Mild to moderate symptoms include:
- Itchy mouth, tongue and throat
- Swelling of the lips, around the eyes or face
- Red, raised, itchy skin rash (often called hives, urticaria or hives)
- Vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea
- Runny nose and sneezing
Severe symptoms of anaphylaxis include:
- Swelling of your throat and tongue
- Difficulty breathing or very fast breathing
- Difficulty swallowing, a tight feeling in the throat or a hoarse voice
- Wheezing, coughing or noisy breathing
- Feeling tired or confused
- Feeling faint, dizzy or faint
- Skin that feels cold
- Blue, gray, or pale skin, lips, or tongue – if you have brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or the soles of your feet
Anaphylaxis and its symptoms should be treated as a medical emergency.
If you think you or someone you are with is having an anaphylactic reaction, follow these steps:
- Use an adrenaline auto-injector (such as an EpiPen) if you have one – The instructions are on the side of the injector.
- Call 112 for an ambulance and say that you think you are having an anaphylactic reaction.
- Lie down – you can raise your legs and if you have difficulty breathing, raise your shoulders or sit up slowly (if you are pregnant, lie on your left side).
- If you are stung by an insect, try to remove the stinger if it is still in the skin.
- If your symptoms have not improved after 5 minutes, use a second adrenaline auto-injector.
Never stand or walk, even if you feel better.
Sources: Allergy UK, NHS