The Food Standards Agency is advising consumers to avoid batches of certain specific helva products following tests that have found them to be contaminated with the food bug salmonella. Helva, also known as halva, is a middle eastern/ mediterranean sweet confectionery made of crushed sesame seeds and syrup and comes in various flavours. It is sold in tubs and blocks.
Over 150 samples of helva products in the UK have recently been tested. The majority of samples taken did not contain salmonella. Of those that have tested positive, none were on sale in the major retail chains. One sample of a similar product, tahini, also tested positive.
The affected products are imported from Turkey and are believed to be sold mostly in shops that sell Turkish and middle eastern/mediterranean foods. The presence of salmonella has also been reported in Australia, Sweden and Germany in these products and they may also be on sale in this country.
The Agency is taking action to ensure that the affected batches of the products are removed from sale and that consumers do not eat them. There is a risk of food poisoning if these specific products are consumed.
Details of the products are attached and available from the FSA website at www.foodstandards.gov.uk
Food Standards Agency Deputy Chief Executive and Head of Food Safety Dr Jon Bell said:
“We want to ensure that consumers are not exposed to the risk of salmonella poisoning from these products. It is important that they are taken off the shelves and not eaten. This only appears to be a problem relating to particular helva products made between September 2000 and January 2001. Since the shelf life of these products is at least a year, they are still likely to be in the shops or in people’s homes.
“We are particularly concerned to ensure that this message reaches Turkish and other communities where consumption of helva is most common. They will be most at risk from the bug, although anyone who eats helva could be affected.”
As a result of these findings the Agency has taken action to protect consumers:
- Advising consumers of what products to avoid and issuing leaflets in Turkish
- Issuing a Food Hazard Warning asking local enforcement officers to ensure that these products are removed from sale or use in the catering trade
- Placing brand names and photos of the relevant products on the Agency website
NOTES TO EDITORS:
- Further advice is available from a Food Standards Agency helpline, tel 0845 0000048 , which is staffed from 9 am until 5 pm Monday to Friday.
- Details of the products affected are available on our website (www.foodstandards.gov.uk). The table attached shows those products that we have advised consumers to avoid.
- These are the helva products that have tested positive for salmonella.
Brand name: Sera
Flavour: chocolate
Best before date: September 2001
Product /batch number: any beginning with 17 and followed by three numbers
Brand name: Sera
Flavour: chocolate
Best before date: October 2001
Product/batch number: any beginning with 17 or 18 and followed by three numbers
Brand name: Sera
Flavour: pistachio
Best before date: October 2001
Product/batch number: any beginning with 17 or 18 and followed by three numbers
Brand name: Sera
Flavour: vanilla
Best before date: November 2001
Product/batch number: any beginning with 18 and followed by three numbers
Brand name: Sera
Flavour: chocolate
Best before date: November 2001
Product/batch number: any beginning with 17 and followed by three numbers
Brand name: Sera
Flavour: chocolate
Best before date: December 2001
Product/batch number: any beginning with 17 and followed by three numbers
Brand name: Sera
Flavour: pistachio
Best before date: January 2002
Product/batch number: any one beginning with 17 and followed by three other numbers
Brand name: Gulsan
Flavour: chocolate
Best before date: October 2001
Product/batch number: any beginning with 17 or 18 and followed by three numbers
Brand name: Gulsan
Flavour: pistachio
Best before date: October 2001
Product/batch number: any beginning with 17 or 18 and followed by three numbers
Brand name: Gulsan
Flavour: plain
Best before date: October 2001
Product/batch number: any beginning with 17 or 18 and followed by three numbers
Brand name: Gulsan
Flavour: chocolate
Best before date: January 2002
Product/batch number: any beginning with 17 and followed by three numbers
Brand name: Ceren
Flavour: chocolate
Best before date: October 2003
Product/batch number: any beginning with 17 or 18 and followed by three numbers
Brand name: Ceren
Flavour: vanilla
Best before date: October 2003
Product/batch number: any beginning with 17 or 18 and followed by three numbers
Tahini, a similar product, has also tested positive for salmonella:
Brand name: Sera Tahin sesame paste (in a jar with a metal lid)
Best before date: January 2002
Product/batch number: 08
