Three cult Milka chocolate bars have been pulled from Home Bargains' shelves over fears they could trigger a fatal allergic reaction after it emerged they had been mislabeled.
The discount store, owned by TJ Morris, is urgently recalling Milka Hazelnut, Milka Whole Nut and Milka Oreo Brownie chocolate bars because allergens are not declared in English on the label.
According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), this means the product is a 'possible health risk' for anyone with an allergy or intolerance to milk, hazelnuts, soya and/or an allergy or intolerance to wheat or gluten.
The recall applies to 90g bars of Milka Hazelnut, 95g bars of Milka Whole Nut, and 100g bars of Milka Oreo Brownie.
All best before dates are thought to be affected.
The FSA, which published the alert, issues recalls when problems are spotted with food that means it should not be sold.
Nut allergies can be fatal, causing anaphylaxis—which occurs when the immune system mistakenly overreacts and releases a flood of chemicals that send the body into shock, stopping patients from breathing.
As well as rapid organ failure, this can restrict oxygen to the brain, resulting in brain damage and even death.
Customers who have purchased the cult bars from any of Home Bargains' stores who have an allergy or intolerance to the listed ingredients are advised not to eat it.
The company has also issued a point-of-sale notice to its customers, explaining why the product has been recalled.
'TJ Morris Ltd is recalling Milka Hazelnut 90g, Milka Whole Nut 95g, and Milka Oreo Brownie 100g sold through Home Bargains stores, due to the allergens are not labelled in english,' the notice reads.
'This means there is a possible health risk for anyone with allergies or intolerance to tree nuts (including hazelnuts), milk, soya or wheat.'
Consumers who have bought the bars and have an 'allergy, intolerance or sensitivity' to the listed ingredients are told: 'Do not consume it.'
Instead, customers are advised to check the labels to see if the ingredients are listed in English. If they are not, customers can return the product to their local Home Bargains store or contact customer services at [email protected].
Whilst the budget store has apologised for any inconvenience caused, it is not yet clear whether they will be issuing a refund for affected bars.
People who cannot consume milk are either allergic to the protein in cow's milk or they cannot digest the sugar in the product, known as lactose intolerance.
Milk allergy symptoms can range from a rash, itching and swelling on the skin to vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhoea that starts within minutes of eating or drinking items that contain dairy.
However, those who suffer from delayed cow's milk allergy may not have any symptoms until two days after exposure.
People with soya allergies can also suffer an immediate or delayed reaction.
Immediate reactions are the most dangerous, typically consisting of raised rash, an itchy sensation in the mouth, swelling of the lips, face and eyes or stomach pain and vomiting within mere minutes.
In severe cases, it can cause anaphylaxis.
In 2023, 13-year-old Hannah Jacobs, from Barking in East London died after taking a single sip of a hot chocolate from Costa Coffee which had been mistakenly made with cow's milk rather than the soya milk her mother had ordered.
The inquest last year found Hannah, who had severe allergies to dairy, egg, fish and wheat, died following both a 'failure to follow the processes' and a 'failure of communication' between staff and Hannah's mother.
Experts estimate that 10 Brits die from an allergic reaction to food each year, with 5,000 people hospitalised for severe reactions.
Latest Government figures suggest around 2.4million adults are living with a food allergy in the UK, with hospital admissions for severe reactions more than tripling within the last 20 years.
