Supermarket issues 'do not eat' warning for potatoes over allergy risk (2025)

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Aldi has urgently recalled its own-brand baby potatoes overfears they could be dangerous to those with severe dairy allergies.

Food safety watchdogs stuck a 'do not eat' alert on a batch of the supermarket's Inspired Cuisine baby potatoes with herbs and butter.

It is feared packs of the side dishmaycontain hidden traces of milk, which is not featured on the label and poses a risk to those with an allergy or intolerance to milk.

Aldi said the recall only affected its 385g pack of the new potatoes.

It also only impacts the batch with the code 4061463488152 and a best before date of April 12.

The supermarket added: 'Customers are asked to return this product to their nearest store, where a full refund will be given.

'We apologise that this product did not meet our normal high standards and thank you for your co-operation.'

The Food Standards Agency (FSA), which published the alert, issues recallswhen problems are spotted with food that means it should not be sold.

It also said: 'Point of sale notices will be displayed in all retail stores that are selling this product.

'These notices explain to customers why the product is being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the product.'

People who cannot consume milk are either allergic to the proteins 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.

In severe cases, it can cause anaphylaxis — a severe, life-threatening reaction when swelling in the throat can block the airways.

A milk allergy can be diagnosed by a person’s immediate reaction to milk, as well as skin, blood and breath tests.

Around three in 100 babies have a cow's milk allergy but most grow out of it during their childhood.

Older children and adults who are allergic to cow's milk tend to have a more serious allergy.

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 hadsevere allergies to dairy, egg, fish and wheat,diedfollowing both a 'failure to follow the processes' and a'failure of communication' between staff and Hannah's mother.

AldiFSA

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