Food safety officials have issued an urgent recall for Zingerman's Dark Chocolate Bar with Caramelised Banana and Peanut Butter following the discovery of a potentially life-threatening labelling error.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) confirmed the chocolate bars contain peanuts that are not declared on the packaging, posing a serious health risk to consumers with peanut allergies. This comes at a particularly concerning time as families stock up on treats for the Halloween season.
What You Need to Know About the Recall
The affected products are 85g Zingerman's Dark Chocolate Bar with Caramelised Banana and Peanut Butter with specific batch codes and best-before dates. Consumers are being urged to immediately check their cupboards and avoid consumption if they have peanut allergies.
Key product details:
- Product: Zingerman's Dark Chocolate Bar with Caramelised Banana and Peanut Butter
- Size: 85g
- Batch codes: 240425, 240426, 240427, 240507
- Best before: End of April 2025 and beginning of May 2025
Why This Recall Matters
For individuals with peanut allergies, even trace amounts can trigger severe reactions including anaphylaxis, which can be fatal without immediate medical treatment. The undeclared peanuts make these chocolate bars particularly dangerous as consumers with allergies would have no warning from the packaging.
The FSA has emphasised the importance of this recall, stating: "This product contains peanuts making it a possible health risk for anyone with an allergy to peanuts."
What to Do If You've Purchased the Product
If you have bought this product and have a peanut allergy, do not consume it. Instead, return it to the store where you purchased it for a full refund. Even if you don't have allergies, the FSA recommends checking with friends and family who might have received the product as a gift.
Retailers across the UK have been instructed to remove the affected batches from shelves immediately. The recall notice includes point-of-sale posters that retailers must display to inform customers about the recall.
This incident serves as a crucial reminder for all consumers to carefully check food labels, especially when purchasing treats for Halloween celebrations where multiple people with different allergies might be consuming shared foods.
