A battered fish product sold at ASDA has been urgently recalled over fears it may contain pieces of plastic or metal. The warning, issued by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) on April 30, affects Exceptional by ASDA Beer Battered Cod Fishcakes in 290g packs.
Recall Details
Officials said all packs with use-by dates running from May 1 to May 5 are affected, meaning some may already have been eaten before the recall was announced. Customers are being urged not to eat the product and instead return it to the store where it was purchased for a full refund.
A spokesman for the Food Standards Agency said: 'If you have bought the above product, do not eat it. Instead, return it to your nearest ASDA store for a full refund.'
The product, which retails for £3.50, has been removed from shelves and supermarkets are displaying notices explaining the recall and what shoppers should do.
Possible Causes of Contamination
While it remains unclear how the product became contaminated, metal contamination in food recalls usually occurs during manufacturing from machinery wear, broken equipment, or human error. Common sources include fragments from grinders, mixers, sieves, or loose screws and wire from conveyors breaking off and entering food products.
It can also arise from raw materials, packaging, or poor employee practices, such as when items such as jewellery or hair clips fall into food. If the manufacturer’s metal detectors (which work by sensing electromagnetic field disruptions) fail to catch the contaminated products, they reach the consumer.
The rise in recalls is sometimes linked to increased production speeds, leading to faster machinery wear and less maintenance time.
Health Risks
Finding plastic or metal in food can pose serious physical risks, including choking hazards, mouth injuries and digestive issues. Plastics, especially when broken or heated, can leach harmful chemicals like phthalates, BPA, or BPS into food, which can act as endocrine disruptors.
The Food Standards Agency issues recalls when products pose a risk to public health.
