Insect larvae contamination prompts kids chew bar recall and production halt
Food firm Lightbody Ventures issued a recall on October 2 of its Annabel Karmel Apple and Blackcurrant and Apple and Raspberry chewy bars.
Lightbody Ventures produces the range but contracts an outside manufacturer to make the bars under a license.
Roz Cuschieri, group director for Lightbody Ventures, told BakeryandSnacks.com: “The manufacturer is currently investigating the source of the contamination, which involves analysis of samples.”
“While this investigation is underway no production of these products is taking place,” Cuschieri said.
Drazenka Tubin-Delic of the Incidents Unit at the Food Standard Agency said the contamination is believed to be insect larvae.
“It could be a storage problem – there are a wide range of possibilities,” Tubin-Delic said.
However, the company is working closely with local authorities to identify potential sources, she said.
“We are satisfied with the action the company has taken because a normal recall would be restricted just to the batches contaminated, rather than an entire range,” she added.
Swift recall
In an emailed statement Lightbody Ventures said it had been “made aware of a potential foreign body contamination” in the Apple and Raspberry variety.
“The health and well-being of the consumers of Annabel Karmel products is an absolute priority,” it continued.
“We demand of our licensees the very highest standards of product quality and require them to implement the necessary processes and procedures to ensure that all applicable food safety standards are met.”
“Lightbody is performing an internal investigation with its supplier to effect corrective action,” it concluded.
The firm made clear that no other Annabel Karmel or Disney products are affected by this recall.
