Sainsbury recalls bran flakes due to plastic

By Michael Stones

- Last updated on GMT

Sainsbury and Tesco have been forced to recall branflake products, due to contamination with plastic pieces
Sainsbury and Tesco have been forced to recall branflake products, due to contamination with plastic pieces

Related tags Müller wiseman dairies Milk

A production problem, which left bran flake products contaminated with small pieces of plastic, has prompted both Sainsbury and Tesco to issue product recalls.

Sainsbury recalled its Wholegrain Bran Flakes, sold in 1kg pack size with a best before end of August 2016, yesterday (September 1).

A product recall notice posted in its stores warned customers: “It has been brought to our attention that a limited number of packets of the above​ [Wholegrain Bran Flakes 1kg by Sainsbury] may contain small pieces of plastic.

‘May contain pieces of plastic’

“As a precautionary measure, we are asking all customers who have brought this product to return to their nearest Sainsbury store, where they will receive a full refund.”

No other products or date codes were said to be affected by the recall and the retailer apologised to customers for any inconvenience.

Earlier today (September 2) Tesco recalled its Branflakes for the same reason.

Last week Sainsbury was also forced to recall its SO Organic British Double Cream sold in 300ml pots with a ‘use by’ date of September 2 on Saturday (August 29) due to fears of contamination with Listeria monocytogenes​.

The recall was one of three covering cream products issued for Müller Wiseman Dairies’ pasteurised double cream, Aldi’s McCallums Scottish Double Cream and Iceland’s double cream.

‘An isolated incident’

Müller insisted the contamination was “an isolated incident”​, ​linked to its East Kilbride dairy. “This is an isolated incident and an extensive investigation by Müller Wiseman Dairies’ quality team is under way to understand the cause and source,” ​said the firm.

“The batch was produced at a small dairy in East Kilbride, which produces cream products. No other Müller Wiseman Dairies products at the site are known to be affected.”

Meanwhile, avoiding product recalls, that could cost many millions of pounds, will be one the subjects under discussion at  the Food Manufacture Group’s one-day food safety conference at the Lowry, Manchester on September 29.

The conference will be divided into four sessions: minimising contamination in raw materials and ingredients, managing safety hazards and risks in processing, distribution and sale, delivering products that are safe throughout their shelf­-life and reassuring consumers about the safety of what they eat.

Book your place here.

Recent food safety recalls

  • Tesco Branflakes (plastic contamination)
  • Sainsbury’s Wholegrain Bran Flakes (plastic contamination)
  • Müller Wiseman Dairies, pasteurised double cream (listeria)
  • Aldi, McCallums Scottish Double Cream (listeria)
  • Iceland, double cream (listeria)
  • Sainsbury, SO Organic British Double Cream (listeria)

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