CRUNCH TIME
Asda issues urgent ‘do not eat’ warning after recalling crisps over fears they are a ‘possible health risk’
The difference between an allergic reaction and anaphylaxis - and what to do
ASDA has urgently recalled crisps over a "packaging error" that could leave some people seriously ill.
The major retailer pulled it's Extra Special Sea Salt & Chardonnay Wine Vinegar Hand Cooked Crisps from shelves and urged shoppers with allergies not to eat them, as some packs contain Cheese & Onion Crisps.
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As a result, some salt and vinegar crisp packets contain milk that isn't declared on the label.
"This means the product is a possible health risk for anyone with an allergy or intolerance to milk or milk constituents," the Food Standards Agency (FSA) said in an alert.
Cow's milk allergy is one of the most common food allergies to affect babies and young children.
Most children will outgrow their allergy by the age of five, but some people continue being allergic to milk into adulthood.
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"Where this happens, people are more likely to experience more severe allergic reactions," Allergy UK notes.
Milk allergies can cause mild symptoms, but consuming it can also trigger a severe reaction called anaphylaxis.
Asda recalled it's Sea Salt & Chardonnay Wine Vinegar Crisps, taking them off shelves and warning customers with a milk allergy or intolerance not to eat the snack.
Affected batches have a 'best before' date of September 21.
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The retailer asked people to bring the crisps back to the store for a full refund, no receipt needed.
It follows Waitrose recalling cupcakes over a similar packaging error, which saw coffee and walnut cakes mixed into the chocolate cupcake packs.
Food Standards Agency explains what food allergies are
Sainsbury's also pulled crisp packets off shelves last month, over fears they contained undeclared milk.
Asda was one of many major retailers to recall sandwiches and wraps containing lettuce in the wake of a UK-wide E. coli outbreak that left one person dead and hundreds sick and hospitalised.
Milk allergy vs. intolerance
A cow’s milk allergy is an abnormal response by the body’s immune system that causes proteins in a food - casein and whey proteins in cow’s milk in this case - to be recognised as potentially harmful.
People with a milk allergy can get an immediate response when consuming milk, which comes on in minutes or up to two hours afterwards.
But some people may also develop allergic reaction symptoms between two hours and three days after having milk - this is less common in adults, Allergy UK said.
A dairy intolerance doesn't involve the immune system.
Instead, it's caused by an inability to digest a sugar in milk called lactose.
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Reactions are usually delayed, occurring several hours and sometimes up to several days after eating the offending food.
The symptoms caused by these reactions are usually gut symptoms, such as bloating, diarrhoea, constipation and IBS.
The signs of an allergic reaction and anaphylaxis
SYMPTOMS of an allergy usually occur within minutes of contact with with the offending food or trigger, but they can also come on up to one hour later.
Most allergic reactions are mild but they can also be moderate or severe.
Anaphylaxis is the most severe form of allergic reaction which can be life threatening.
Mild to moderate symptoms include:
- Itchy mouth, tongue and throat
- Swelling of lips, around the eyes or face
- Red raised itchy rash (often called nettle rash, hives or urticaria)
- Vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhoea
- Runny nose and sneezing
Severe symptoms of anaphylaxis include:
- Swelling of your throat and tongue
- Difficulty breathing or breathing very fast
- Difficulty swallowing, tightness in your throat or a hoarse voice
- Wheezing, coughing or noisy breathing
- Feeling tired or confused
- Feeling faint, dizzy or fainting
- Skin that feels cold to the touch
- Blue, grey or pale skin, lips or tongue – if you have brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet
Anaphylaxis and its symptoms should be treated as a medical emergency.
Follow these steps if you think you or someone you're with is having an anaphylactic reaction:
- Use an adrenaline auto-injector (such as an EpiPen) if you have one – instructions are included on the side of the injector.
- Call 999 for an ambulance and say that you think you're having an anaphylactic reaction.
- Lie down – you can raise your legs, and if you're struggling to breathe, raise your shoulders or sit up slowly (if you're pregnant, lie on your left side).
- If you have been stung by an insect, try to remove the sting if it's still in the skin.
- If your symptoms have not improved after 5 minutes, use a 2nd adrenaline auto-injector.
Do not stand or walk at any time, even if you feel better.
Sources: Allergy UK, NHS