Waitrose recalls popular dessert over labelling mistake – ‘serious risk’ | UK | News

Waitrose is recalling a dessert product containing undeclared ingredients that could pose a serious risk to some customers. Waitrose and Partners is recalling 4 packs of Richly Fruity Hot Cross Buns after it was revealed the product contained barley which was not stated on the packaging.

The recall applies to all packages with an expiration date of June 6. Waitrose is collecting the product from customers and has notified relevant allergy support organisations, who will inform their members of the recall.

In-store notifications will inform customers why the product is being recalled and outline the steps they should take if they have already purchased the product. Please see the attached notice. A Food Standards Agency spokesman said: “If you have purchased the product and are allergic to barley, do not eat it. Instead, return it to the store where you purchased it for a full refund.

“No receipt required. For further information please contact: Waitrose Customer Services 0800 188 884, option 4.”

The spokesperson added: “Sometimes there may be a problem with a food product that means it should not be sold. It may then be ‘withdrawn’ (taken from shelves) or ‘recalled’ (when customers are asked to return the product).

Sometimes foods may need to be withdrawn or recalled if there is a risk to consumers because allergy labeling is missing or incorrect, or there is a risk of another food allergy. FSA will issue an Allergy Alert when there is a risk of food allergy.” Barley (Hordeum vulgare) is an important cereal grain belonging to the grass family.

It is among the first grains grown in human history. Unlike wheat, which is predominantly used for light, soft breads, barley has a chewier consistency and characteristic nutty taste. Its main applications in the UK and worldwide include brewing beer and distilling whisky, adding stems to soups, stews and broths, and serving as animal feed.

A true IgE-mediated barley allergy (in which the immune system mistakenly identifies barley proteins as a threat and triggers a rapid, potentially serious reaction) is extremely rare.

Due to its rarity as a stand-alone condition, UK health authorities such as the Food Standards Agency (FSA) do not keep specific, separate statistics just for barley allergies. Rather, it falls into broader groups. Under UK food legislation, barley is identified as one of the 14 main allergens due to its gluten content. In this classification, it is included alongside wheat, rye and oats.

It is estimated that around 2 million people across the UK have a confirmed food allergy, and an estimated 1% to 2% of adults (and up to 8% of children) are affected by food allergies. While wheat allergy is quite common, isolated true allergies to barley typically occur in only two specific groups.

Baker’s Asthma: A work-related respiratory allergy in which bakers or factory workers develop asthma due to inhaling raw grain dust (including barley flour). Beer Allergies: Rare cases in which adults react specifically to intact lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) remaining in beer after brewing.

While a significant number of people in the UK strictly avoid barley, most do so not because of an allergy but because they have Celiac disease, an autoimmune disease in which gluten consumption triggers the body to attack its own small intestine. Celiac disease affects around 1 in 100 people in the UK (roughly 680,000 people), but a significant number remain undiagnosed. For those affected, the gluten found in barley can cause serious, long-term digestive and systemic damage.

A much larger group, estimated at 6 million people across the UK, suffer from general food intolerance or Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity. Although not life-threatening like a severe allergy, consuming barley can cause severe bloating, abdominal pain and fatigue in patients.

Given that barley poses a risk to both those with true grain allergies and those living with Celiac disease, UK legislation requires that barley must always be highlighted (typically in bold letters) on ingredient labels.