Shoppers across the UK are being advised to avoid eating one particular chocolate bar that has been sold in two major stores over contamination concerns. TK Maxx and Homesense have taken all Lokumella Mini Pistachio bars off the shelves. Customers have been issued a “do not eat” alert on all batches which have been contaminated in a way that could cause a severe allergic reaction in some customers.
Affected batches were sold between January and March and have been found to have an undeclared allergen in them, causing a significant health and safety issue. If shoppers purchased an item that could be affected, they are being urged to check the packaging as well as their receipt.
“We are recalling the Lokumella Mini Pistachio Bar due to a safety issue,” TK Maxx said. “They contain undeclared milk which could cause an allergic reaction.”
All affected products will have the following codes which will be featured on the packaging: 758554 and 758612. Customers who have purchased the item are eligible for a full refund or a replacement product.
A safety notice from TK Maxx notes: “If you purchased the product and are allergic to milk, please stop using it immediately and return to any TK Maxx or HomeSense store.”
Symptoms of a severe milk allergy
Milk allergy refers to an immune system response to milk and products containing milk which can result in a physical reaction. While generally milk allergies refer to cow’s milk, it can also be present when consuming milk from goats and sheep.
Symptoms can start either a few minutes or a few after consuming, including:
- Flatulence
- Bloating
- Diarrhoea
- Constipation
- Feeling sick or being sick
- Stomach pain
The NHS advises calling 999 if you’ve consumed milk and experience the following symptoms:
- Skin turning blue, pale, or grey
- Swelling of lips, throat, mouth, or tongue
- Tight feeling in the throat or struggling to swallow
- Struggling to breathe or breathing becomes raspy
- Confusion, dizziness, or drowsiness
Full details of milk allergy and what you can do can be found here.