United Biscuits voluntarily withdraws McVitie’s Toasting Waffles due to allergens

United Biscuits has chosen to voluntarily withdraw McVitie’s Toasting Waffles from sale in the UK following a change to the product recipe.

United Biscuits had to move production of McVitie’s Toasting Waffles to a new manufacturing site and consequently the recipe and some of the ingredients changed. McVitie’s Toasting Waffles now contain milk and lupin, which some consumers are allergic to.

The ingredient changes were updated in the ingredients panel on the product packaging, with milk and lupin clearly labelled. In addition, United Biscuits’ websites were also updated to notify consumers of the change.  The Company also contacted the Anaphylaxis Campaign, who put an advisory notice on their website.

McVitie’s Toasting Waffles only pose risk to consumers with milk or lupin allergies

Despite these actions, a small number of consumers have purchased or consumed the product before reading the ingredient listing on pack and without realising there has been a change.

Recognising the risks that milk and lupin present to those with a food intolerance to these ingredients, United Biscuits withdrew the Toasting Waffles from sale.

The new recipe for McVitie’s Toasting Waffles only poses a potential risk to the small proportion of consumers who are allergic to milk or lupin.

The UK Food Standards Agency advises that if food manufacturers choose to change their ingredients in an existing product, it would be good practice to indicate this on the front of the packaging, such as stating that the item has a ‘new recipe’ for example, to alert allergic consumers of the changes.