Lancashire County Council Trading Standards officers are again warning the public to be on the lookout for foods containing chilli that has been coloured with the banned food dye Sudan 1.
Two supermarkets, Tesco and Makro, have withdrawn stocks of Sammy's Easy Cook Couscous - Zesty Lemon and Corriander which contain the chemical. The alert only affects 200g cartons sold in Tescos with Best Before dates of 07.09.2004, 08.09.2004, 24.09.2004 and 1.5kg jars sold in Makro with Best
Before dates of 30.12.2004, 01.01.2005, 04.01.2005, 09.01.2005.
More locally, various frozen meat products manufactured by Blackburn based Khan Quality Foods, have been found to contain Sudan 1 and although stocks have been withdrawn, some products may be on retail sale. These include various 'KQF' and 'Mr Spicy' brand 'spicy' and 'fiesta' meat kebabs, kofta, sausage and 'lollies'.
Sudan 1 is more commonly used in shoe dye and polishes and has been linked with cancer - although Trading Standards officers stress that there is no immediate health risk and that any ill effects are linked to prolonged exposure.
Jim Potts, Lancashire's Chief Trading Standards Officer, said "We have been liasing closely with the Food Standards Agency and over 70 products containing Sudan 1 have now been recalled from sale.
"Consumers and retailers should check the list of the products on the Food Standards Agency website and return any affected products for a refund. It is very rare for a dye like Sudan 1 to find its way into food and although it presents no imminent health threat, it is an unapproved chemical dye."
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