Farmfoods recalls chicken and spinach pasta over undeclared shellfish, fish and molluscs
350g ready meals with best-before January 2027 and several batch codes withdrawn after Food Standards Agency allergy alert; customers advised not to eat product
Farmfoods has recalled a 350g Chicken and Spinach Pasta ready meal after some packs were found to be mislabelled and may contain undeclared crustaceans, fish and molluscs, regulators said.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) issued an allergy alert for packs with a best-before date of January 2027 and the following batch codes: L5192B05D, L5192C05D, L5193C05D, L5193A05D and L5193B05D. The agency warned the product is a possible health risk for anyone with an allergy to crustaceans, fish or molluscs, which can cause hives, vomiting, swelling and, in severe cases, life-threatening anaphylaxis.
Customers who bought the affected packs from any of Farmfoods’ 341 stores were advised not to eat the product and to return it to the store for a full refund. The FSA said Farmfoods has issued point-of-sale notices explaining the recall and has been asked to contact relevant allergy support organisations so they can inform their members. Consumers seeking more information were directed to Farmfoods customer services on 0121 700 7160 or to the FSA alerts section.
Farmfoods apologised for any inconvenience but did not disclose how the mislabelling occurred. The FSA said foods must be withdrawn or recalled when allergy labelling is missing or incorrect or where there is any other food allergy risk, and that an Allergy Alert will be issued in such cases.
Shellfish allergies are widespread in the UK and can be severe. The FSA estimates up to 1.5 million adults may be affected by shellfish allergies. Anaphylaxis UK advises anyone experiencing swelling of the lips or tongue, difficulty breathing, dizziness or collapse after consuming a product to use an adrenaline auto-injector immediately if prescribed and to call emergency services.
The recall follows a separate Farmfoods action this year involving Ultimate Keralan Chicken Curry, where some batches were found to be mispacked and contained prawns. The incident is one of several high-profile cases over recent years that have highlighted the dangers of undeclared allergens on food packaging. The 2016 death of 15-year-old Natasha Ednan-Laperouse after consuming a product with undeclared sesame seeds prompted the introduction of Natasha's Law in 2021, which requires full ingredient and allergen labelling on food made on premises and pre-packed for direct sale.
The FSA encourages consumers to stay informed by subscribing to its allergy alert email service or by checking the alerts page on its website. The regulator and Farmfoods continue to investigate the scope of the mislabelling and any further action required to protect consumers with food allergies.