Tesco has withdrawn a ready meal from sale after discovering potentially dangerous ingredients were not listed on the packaging.
The supermarket chain's Stir Fry Tikka Chicken contains both egg and mustard in its accompanying sauce packet, both of which went undeclared on the label.
The oversight could have serious health implications for shoppers who suffer from allergies or intolerances to these ingredients.
The retailer has consequently initiated an immediate product withdrawal and reached out to allergy support groups to ensure vulnerable consumers receive prompt notification about the safety issue.
Customers can return their product for a full refund
|TESCO
The affected batch includes items with the use-by date September 7.
Tesco confirmed that customers who purchased the Tikka Chicken Stir Fry and have an egg or mustard allergy can return the affected product to any branch for a full refund.
"If you have purchased the affected date code of the above product and have an allergy or intolerance to egg or mustard, please return it to any Tesco store for a full refund," it said in a statement.
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"No receipt is required," the company added, apologising for any inconvenience posed by the packaging error.
As a food allergy, mustard exposure can cause life-threatening anaphylaxis in some severe cases, which means it is vital for items to be properly packaged and labelled accordingly.
The allergy can cause the immune system to go into overdrive when the allergic individual consumes mustard products, such as seeds or powder.
Although fairly rare, a mustard allergy remains one of the most common spice allergies, possibly affecting both children and adults.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, symptoms of a mustard allergy can include:
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhoea
- Dizziness
- Hives or skin rash
- Nausea and vomiting
- Swollen lips, tongue or face
- Throat inflammation and difficulty swallowing
- Wheezing or shortness of breath
Tesco issued the recall due to failure to declare allergens
|GETTY
Meanwhile, egg allergies are far more common and tend to be more prevalent in children.
After consuming contaminated food, symptoms begin between a few minutes to a few hours later.
Ranging from mild to life-threatening symptoms, an egg allergy, according to the Mayo Clinic, can involve skin rashes, hives, a stuffy nose, upset stomach and vomiting.
Like a mustard allergy, severe cases could culminate in anaphylaxis.