Food Law

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The following is an example of a food hazard warning notice issued by the Department of Health and includes information given to enforcement officers.

The 392g cans that may have been affected carry the codes 6239, 6240 and 6241.

Glenbrook Foods Limited issued a product recall in national press advertisements yesterday for their own branded chicken curry, 'Glenbrook Chicken Curry' in 368g tins.

Aldi stores plan to display warning notices to customers in their stores from 9 December. The Food Hazard Warning has been issued today so that local environmental health officers can monitor action taken by each Aldi store.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. The attached Food Hazard Warning Ref: 16/96 has been sent to all Chief Environmental Health Officers.

FOOD HAZARD WARNING

TO BE PASSED WITHOUT DELAY TO THE CHIEF OR DEPUTY CHIEF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OFFICER

NOTE: THIS IS BEING SENT DIRECT TO ALL AUTHORITIES AND THERE IS NO NEED TO CASCADE ON

To: Chief Environmental Health Officers (cc by BT Gold: CCDCs/MOEHs, RDPHs, Health Authority Managers, FHSAs)
Please copy to all Officers with a possible interest

This Food Hazard Warning is issued in two parts. Part 1 is for information only, Part 2 suggests the need for action from selected local authorities.

Part 1: Food Hazard Warning - For Information Only

Environmental Health Departments may be aware that Glenbrook Foods Limited issued a "Customer Care Announcement" in the national press yesterday concerning their recall of Chicken Curry.

(beginning of trade press release:)

Customer Care Announcement
Glenbrook Foods Limited
Recall of Chicken Curry

We have detected that in a very limited number of instances, pieces of glass visible to the human eye may have entered some tinned product. This affects the following product only:

Batch codes 6240 and 6241 only. These batch codes are located on the lids of the tins together with a Best Before End date of Aug 99*.

We have already arranged withdrawal from stores but we are concerned that consumers may still have tins with these codes at home. If this is the case, please do not consume the product, but return the tin(s) to the stores at which you purchased for a full refund.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. We stress that only the above codes need to be returned and that no other Glenbrook Foods products are affected. Any queries in relation to this notice should be directed to our freephone information line on: 0800 24 24 28. This will be open from 8 am until 8 pm from 5th December 1996 onwards.

[end of press release]

* This information in the press advertisement was contained in pictorial format which cannot be re-produced in this hazard warning notice.

Part 2 - Food Hazard Warning - For Suggested Action

Glenbrook Foods Ltd also produced the Chicken Curry under contract for Aldi Stores Ltd. There is therefore a possibility of a similar problem in 392g cans of "Hydale" brand Chicken Curry, which were manufactured by Glenbrook Foods Limited for Aldi Stores during the same production runs. The cans have the codes 6239, 6240 and 6241.

Aldi Stores are not proposing at present to issue a public warning in the national press similar to that issued by Glenbrook Foods although we are advised that notices will be displayed in Aldi Stores on Monday 9 December.

Local authorities with an Aldi Store in their area will wish to visit the Store and satisfy themselves about the effectiveness of the trade withdrawal and the display of warning notices to customers who may have purchased cans with the at risk codes before its withdrawal.

DH are providing a copy of this Food Hazard Warning to the National Media.