ASDA issues urgent recall warning over 'unsafe' prawns

• ASDA has today issued an urgent product recall across its UK stores
• The chain said the product has a labelling error, giving an incorrect use-by date
• READ MORE: Magnum Classic ice cream three-packs are recalled

ASDA has today issued an urgent warning, recalling one of its products which are deemed ‘unsafe to eat’.

With over 1,000 stores across the UK, the retailer put out a caution over king prawns which pose a risk of food poisoning.

The store chain admitted the £4.95 packs of Asda Succulent Cooked and Peeled King Prawns have a labelling error giving an incorrect use-by date, making them not safe to consume.

People eating shellfish past its sell-by date risk getting a severe bout of food poisoning.

The warning was echoed by the Government’s Food Standards Agency, who said: ‘Asda is recalling the product.

ASDA has today issued an urgent warning, recalling one of its products which are deemed ‘unsafe to eat’

‘Point of sale notices will be displayed in all retail stores that are selling this product. If you have bought the product do not eat them.

‘Instead, return them to the store from where they were bought for a full refund. The product has been labelled with an incorrect ‘use-by’ which makes them unsafe to eat.’

The affected prawns are in 210g packs with the batch code L66000, listing a ‘use by’ date of 21 December 2024, where the correct date should be 21 April 2024 – the product should not be consumed past this date.

ASDA said in a statement ‘We are very sorry for any inconvenience caused.

‘If you would like any further information, please contact Asda Customer Relations – 0800 952 0101’.

The FSA said ‘The difference between best before and use-by dates is really important.

‘Some foods deteriorate over time in a way that may present a food safety risk.

‘On most packaged food, depending on the product, you will see either a use-by date – relating to food safety – or a best before date, relating to food quality.

The store chain admitted the £4.95 packs of Asda Succulent Cooked and Peeled King Prawns have a labelling error giving an incorrect use-by date, making them not safe to consume

‘Never eat food after the use-by date. If you have a problem with your sense of smell and cannot use it to detect if food with a best-before date has gone off or stale, then ask someone else to check it for you.

‘If that is not an option, then we advise that you stick to the best-before date on the packet as this has been determined by the manufacturer to be the date which the food is at its best.

‘Charity food banks – if you are supplying people with packaged food from a food bank, you still need to check and follow the use-by dates.

‘Giving out food after its use-by date puts people at risk, and could lead to enforcement action being taken against the food bank.’

What is food poisoning and what are the symptoms?

The NHS warns that in most cases of food poisoning, food is contaminated by bacteria or a virus like:

• Campylobacter – the most common cause of food poisoning
• Salmonella 
• Escherichia coli (E. coli) 
• Norovirus
• Listeria 

Symptoms of food poisoning include:

• Feeling sick (nausea) 
• Being sick (vomiting) 
• Diarrhoea, which may contain blood or mucus 
• Stomach cramps and abdominal pain 
• Lack of energy and weakness
• Loss of appetite 
• High temperature of 38C or above (fever) 
• Aching muscles 
• Chills 

Symptoms usually begin within one to two days of eating contaminated food. They can also start a few hours later or several weeks later.

SOURCE: NHS

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