ASDA has recalled a breakfast food staple over fears it could trigger dangerous allergic reactions.
Bags of Frozen Crispy Hash Browns were found to be contaminated with Potato Croquettes, which contain milk and wheat (gluten).
Neither ingredient is listed on the label.
"This means the product is a possible health risk for anyone with an allergy or intolerance to milk or milk constituents, and/or an allergy or intolerance to wheat or gluten, and/or coeliac disease," the Food Standards Agency (FSA) said.
"[If this is you], do not eat it."
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The warning applies to 800g packets with a 'best before' date of June 30, 2025, and a barcode number of 5052449493030.
No other batches are affected.
Customers at risk can return the product to their nearest store, where they will be given a full refund - with or without a receipt.
"We are very sorry for any inconvenience caused," an Asda spokesperson said.
"If you would like further information, please contact customer relations on 0800 952 0101."
There is an alert on the supermarket's website, signs are up in shops, and allergy support organisations have been informed.
The number of people in the UK living with a food allergy sits at around two million.
A further 600,000 have coeliac disease - a condition where the immune system attacks its own tissues when gluten is eaten.
Symptoms
For allergy sufferers, eating problem foods can spark reactions ranging from sneezing and dizziness to life-threatening anaphylaxis, which blocks the airways.
In serious cases, this can cause a dramatic drop in blood pressure, unconsciousness and even death.
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According to the NHS, other common anaphylaxis symptoms include:
- Swelling of your throat and tongue
- Difficulty breathing or breathing very fast
- Trouble swallowing, tightness in your throat or a hoarse voice
- Wheezing, coughing or noisy breathing
- Tiredness or confusion
- Feeling faint, dizzy or fainting
- Skin that feels cold to the touch
- Blue, grey or pale skin, lips or tongue (if you have brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet)
- Swelling of the lips, face and eyes
- Diarrhoea
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Stomach pain
- Itchy skin or hives
When someone with coeliac disease eats gluten - found in wheat, rye, barley and oats - they often experience gut problems like:
- Diarrhoea
- Stomach ache
- Bloating
- Farting
- Indigestion
- Constipation
Gluten consumption can also trigger more general symptoms, such as fatigue, unintentional weight loss, an itchy rash, nerve damage, and disorders that affect coordination, balance and speech.
Potential long-term complications include infertility, osteoporosis, anaemia, and bowel cancer.
While deaths from serious food reactions have fallen in the last 20 years, around 10 people still lose their lives annually, analysis of NHS data in 2021 shows.
Hospital admissions for food-induced anaphylaxis have also risen since the late 90s.
Between 1998 and 2018, there was a three-fold increase per year, from 1.23 to 4.04 admissions per 100,000 population.