Food Alerts

Recall of Certain Batches of King Oscar Szproty and Sledz due to the Presence of the Unauthorised Pe

Wednesday, 13 October 2021

Summary:
Category 2 Food Alert for Information: Certain batches of King Oscar Szproty and Śledź are being recalled due to the presence of the unauthorised pesticide ethylene oxide.

Message:

Certain batches of King Oscar Szproty (sprats) and Śledź (herring) are being recalled due to the presence of the unauthorised pesticide ethylene oxide in a batch of the food additive locust bean gum (E410) used in its production. Locust bean gum (E410) is an approved food additive in the EU. It is obtained from the seeds of the carob tree and is used as a thickener and stabiliser in a broad range of food products.  Ethylene oxide is a pesticide that is not permitted for use in foods sold in the EU but is approved for use by other countries outside the EU. The consumption of foods containing ethylene oxide does not pose an acute risk to health, but there is an increased health risk if foods contaminated with ethylene oxide are consumed over a long period of time. Therefore, exposure to ethylene oxide needs to be minimised and contaminated product must be removed from the market.  Point-of-sale recall notices will be displayed in stores supplied with the implicated batches.For further information on ethylene oxide in locust bean gum, please see our FAQ.