Repackaged frozen food products recalled in UK

More than 10 types of frozen chicken and fish products are being recalled in the UK after authorities discovered the foods had been repackaged and use-by dates possibly extended.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) described the products as "potentially unsafe" having been produced and packaged in "unapproved premises". They are advising anyone who has bought the products not to consume them.

The products, supplied by MDA Products, were known to have been sold in the stores Home Bargains, Factory Foods and Fultons Foods but the agencies said the products may also have been sold through other distribution channels and were subject to a number of labelling and traceability contraventions.

Besides being repackaged in "unapproved premises", the best-before and use-by dates may have been extended beyond those set by the manufacturers without their authorisation, and food law requirements and hygiene regulations have not been met.

"Despite investigations by the enforcement authorities, it has not been possible to obtain the full distribution details or product traceability record for these products," the FSS said in a recall notice.

The recall applies to all products of animal origin packed and supplied by MDA Products, which is based in Blackpool, and includes a variety of fish fillets, chicken fillets ad seafood sticks.

Further details about the packaging premises were not immediately available and the FSA told SecuringIndustry.com they were unable to comment further as "investigations are ongoing".

According to MDA Products' website, the company is a family-owned business with more than 40 years' experience in the food industry. The firm purchases a wide variety of chilled foods from suppliers inside and outside of the UK, delivering more than 300,000 chilled products weekly.

The website adds: "We also resell overstocks from major branded chilled manufacturers onto a network of retailers and caterers looking specifically for food overstocks and end of the line stock."

"MDA Foods continue to strive for excellence through consumer satisfaction, flexibility, product quality and customer care," the website says.

Some of the products known to be affected are:

• 4 Cod Fillets wrapped in crunchy golden breadcrumbs, 480g

• Lytham Fish Co. Basa Fillets, 800g

• Lytham Fish Co. 100% White Fish Fillet Burgers, 4 pack, 460g

• Tasty Chicken Co. Chicken Fillets in Tomato and Herb Marinade 400g

• Alaskan Pollock Fillets, wrapped in crunchy golden breadcrumbs, 500g

• Lytham Fish Co. 16 Seafood Sticks, 200g

• 3 Chicken and Spinach Escalopes

• Breaded Hake Goujons, 500g

• Cod Bites, 500g

• Cod Fillets 500g

• Panga White Fish Fillets, 1kg