Waitrose & Partners is recalling two varieties of doughnuts because they contain soya, which is not declared on the label. The products affected are Waitrose & Partners Sweet, Fluffy, Golden Ring Doughnuts 5's and Waitrose & Partners Jammy, Messy, Squidgy Doughnuts 5's.
The recall covers packs of five with best before dates of November 10 or 11. The presence of soya makes the products a possible health risk for anyone with an allergy to soya.
Reason for the recall
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said Waitrose & Partners is recalling the products from customers and has contacted the relevant allergy support organisations, which will tell their members about the recall. The notices explain to customers why the product is being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the product.
Customers who have bought the products and have an allergy to soya are advised not to eat them. Instead, they should return them to the store where they were bought for a full refund, with no receipt required. For more information, customers can contact Waitrose Customer Care on 0800 188 884, option 4.
Prevalence of soya allergy
NHS clinical network data estimates that around 4 in every 1,000 children (0.4%) have a confirmed soya allergy. In children with existing severe eczema or multiple suspected food allergies, that prevalence rises to between 1% and 4%.
The majority of children naturally outgrow a soya allergy, with roughly 50% outgrowing it by age seven and around 70% by age ten. Soya allergy is uncommon in adults, estimated to affect under 0.2% of the general adult population.
When adult-onset symptoms do occur, they are frequently linked to Pollen Food Allergy Syndrome, where someone with a severe birch tree pollen allergy experiences cross-reactions to soya proteins. Soya intolerance is a digestive issue rather than an immune reaction, with symptoms strictly gastrointestinal, including bloating, excessive wind, stomach cramps, and loose stools, and does not cause hives, swelling, or breathing difficulties.
