HCA Statement Re. Sudan 1 Illegal Dye In Food Products
The Hospital Caterers Association (HCA) can confirm that its Members have taken immediate action to ascertain if any of the food products identified by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) as containing traces of the illegal dye, Sudan 1 have been supplied to them for use in hospitals for patients, staff or visitors consumption.
Hospital caterers have been in close contact with their suppliers and are continuing to check the FSA lists on a daily basis, to assess whether any of their stocks include affected products.
Over the last few days, the HCA has conducted a survey of its Members to determine the extent of the problem and from their initial feedback, the hospital catering sector does not appear to be widely affected by the contamination. Whilst hospital caterers are still checking their stocks, it seems that most of the products listed as affected to date are generally not supplied to them. Only a limited number of recalled products have been mentioned so far and these have mainly been Walkers Crisps Worcester Sauce flavour and Worcester Sauce itself.
The HCA wants to assure the general public that hospital caterers are being extra vigilant at this time to ensure food safety for vulnerable patients as well as staff and visitors to hospital dining facilities so that any risk to health is minimised. They are monitoring the situation as closely as possible as more and more products are being added to the FSA lists and are working with manufacturers and suppliers to keep up to date with the latest developments. If any affected products are subsequently identified as having been supplied to NHS Trusts, the public can be certain that hospital caterers will have them withdrawn immediately and either returned to the supplier in question or destroyed.
As further reassurance, the FSA has advised that although the range of food products apparently contaminated with Sudan 1 is extensive, the level at which this dye has been detected is extremely low and that at such levels, there is no immediate risk to health.