Maysum brand of frozen samosas and spring rolls

Thursday 27 November 2003

Category B: For action

Ref:50/2003

Heads of Environmental Health and Directors of Trading Standards will wish to be aware that the Maysum brand of frozen samosas and spring rolls has been found to be contaminated with the illegal dye, Sudan I.

Sudan I is not a permitted colour under the Colours in Food Regulations 1995.

It is considered to be a genotoxic carcinogen and its presence, at any level, is not permitted in foodstuffs for any purpose.

Maysum brand frozen samosas and spring rolls are manufactured by Bake-a-Paste Limited of Leeds and distributed by themselves and an employee based in Birmingham.

The product has been on sale in various small, independent retail outlets that specialise in the sale of Asian/Indian foodstuffs predominantly in the North of England and London areas.

Identification of the product:

Maysum Meat Samosas

These are packed either in lots of 12 or lots of 20 in opaque plastic bags.

The bags containing the lots of 12 are maroon in colour.

On the right hand side of the bag there is a clear viewing window with a gold and black border and a picture of part of a plate containing samosas.

In addition on the top left-hand corner of the bag the brand name is enclosed in a red crest with an image of an Indian woman behind.

The product description is below the brand name in white writing.

The bags containing lots of 20 are blue in colour.

On the front of the bag there is the product description in white lettering. In addition there is an image of an Indian style temple, which is white in colour.

Maysum Vegetable Samosas

This product, when packed in lots of 12, has a similar design to the bag containing 12 meat samosas described above, with the exception of the background colour, which is green.

The bags of 20 have a similar design to the bag containing 20 meat samosas described above, with the exception of the background colour, which is green.

Maysum Chicken Samosas

This product is packed in lots of 20 and has a similar design as the bag containing 20 meat samosas as described above with the exception of the background colour, which is brown.

Maysum Meat Spring Rolls

This product is packed in lots of 10 and has a similar design as the bag containing 20 meat samosas as described above but with the following two exceptions: the background colour, which is brown/orange and the plate which now has spring rolls displayed on it.

To assist Local Authorities in correct identification of these products pictures can be viewed below.

For all of the above products only those displaying a Best Before Date between, and including, 22 May 2004 and 14 October 2004 are affected by this warning.

No other Maysum products are known to be affected.

Action to be taken by Local Authorities:

The product presents a health risk if consumed in sufficient quantity, and does not comply with the food safety requirements specified in the Food Safety Act 1990 due to contamination with Sudan I.

In addition Sudan I is not a permitted colour.

The manufacturer is undertaking a trade withdrawal, however it is very likely that some of the affected products may still be on sale.

Therefore, local uthorities are asked to visit or make contact with food premises likely to stock these products to ensure that they are removed from sale and destroyed.

As the company has not issued any press release or point-of-sale notices in retail outlets there remains the possibility that affected products are in consumers' homes.

Local Authorities are therefore also asked to provide local publicity on this issue at the next available opportunity to this issue and for that purpose may wish to refer to the Food Standards Agency's previous press releases which can be found on the FSA website.

It is essential that all Local Authorities liaise at county level to ensure that they co-ordinate their actions.

It is expected that action by local authorities will be initiated as soon as possible after receipt of this food hazard warning.