Olives urgently recalled over major health risk
A recall notice has been issued after officials discovered olive jars stocked in UK supermarkets may be contaminated with a common allergen.
On Wednesday 28 January, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) advised customers that food manufacturer Cottage Delight had issued a notice to recall one of its snack products from shelves.
A point-of-sale notice has also now been distributed by the 1974-founded brand, which sells salad dressings, condiments such as lemon curd and chutney, fruit cakes, and hard candies.
The company’s recently retracted item, Garlic Stuffed Gordal Olives, has been recalled from shelves due to the possibility of almond contamination.
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The FSA-distributed notice states that the 280g olive jars do not mention the allergen on the label.
“If you have bought the above product and have an allergy to almonds (nuts) do not eat it,” the agency stated, with a Cottage Delight notice adding that the snack poses as a ‘possible health risk for anyone with an allergy’.
“Instead return it to the store from where it was bought for a full refund (with or without a receipt).”
The recalled garlic stuffed olives are tagged with a Best Before End date of December 2028 and retail for £4.99
The Sun reported that the item is currently being sold in Booths, John Lewis, Dunelm, Lakeland, and on Amazon.
Symptoms of almond allergy
Anyone who has an almond allergy is likely to experience dizziness or lightheadedness, itchy skin, swelling of the lips, and coughing, according to the NHS.
It’s understood that these symptoms are likely to appear within minutes to an hour after exposure.
More serious side-effects of consuming the nut with an allegory include abdominal pain, diarrhoea, difficulty swallowing, and nasal congestion.
Anyone with a mild tree nut allergy is advised to take over-the-counter antihistamine to help alleviate symptoms, and apply a cold press to reduce swelling.
People with more severe allergies are likely to be given an allergy management plan by a food specialist.
This may include emergency medicines called adrenaline auto-injectors, such as an EpiPen, as per the NHS.
More 2026 food recalls
The Cottage Delight olives are just one of many urgent recalls issued by the FSA in 2026.
Earlier this year, experts discovered that various pots of baby formula sold by Nestlé, Danone, and Lactalis possibly contained cereulide, a toxin produced by some strains of Bacillus cereus.
The FSA said that cereulide was highly heat stable, rendering it unlikely to be destroyed during cooking or when the product is mixed with boiling water.
Nestlé apologised for the potential contamination in a statement, which read: “We understand that this news may cause concern for parents, and we sincerely apologise for any concern or inconvenience caused to parents, caregivers, and customers.”
Danone, meanwhile, said its internal quality controls had not identified any safety breaches, but had decided to recall a single batch of Aptamil Infant Formula as a precaution.
On 16 January, a recall notice stated that a number of Jolly Rancher products, produced by The Hershey Company, may contain Mineral Oil Aromatic Hydrocarbons (MOAH), which naturally occurs in crude oil and petroleum.
MOAH, known as a genotoxic carcinogen, may pose a safety risk if consumed over a long and sustained period of time.
The Jolly Rancher products include in the UK recall include: Filled Pops, Berry Gummies, Hard Candy Fruity 2 in 1, Freeze Dried Candy, ‘Misfits’ Gummies, and Hard Candy.
Ella Scott