Dubai-style products recalled due to undeclared allergens

Three Dubai-style chocolate bars and one pistachio cream have been recalled, as they contain undeclared allergens.

The FSA has urged consumers and food businesses who have purchased Noesis, Fix It and counterfeit Le Damas branded Dubai-style chocolate products to take action to avoid risk to health. 

This is because the chocolate bars contain peanuts and other types of nuts (such as almonds, cashews and walnuts), which are not mentioned on labels, making them a possible health risk to those with a nut allergy. 

Food businesses selling the Dubai-style chocolate products listed below are advised to immediately stop sales and to undertake product withdrawals, and where there have been retail sales, to undertake product recalls.

Businesses have been supplied these products by a company called Black Sea Trading Ltd, which has so far been uncontactable, according to the FSA. As a result, food safety action is required by the food businesses selling these products.

The FSA has urged consumers with an allergy to peanuts or other types of nuts not to buy these products, and if they have bought them, not to eat them. Instead, shoppers should dispose of the products at home and get in touch with their local Trading Standards in Great Britain or Environmental Health Officers in Northern Ireland, to let them know where they purchased them.

The Grocer understands the bar sold under the Le Damas brand name is a counterfeit. 

According to Le Damas, the bootleg bar visibly differs from its officially registered packaging design, lacks proper allergen labeling and legal declarations and was never sold by or through its authorized channels, including Amazon UK, TikTok Shop, or its official distributor GGN INTL.

Le Damas is currently pursuing legal action against responsible parties. 

Despite one of the recalled bars being a counterfeit, it was “really important that the public are still aware of the risks that the other bars mentioned in the Food Alert, as well as potentially bogus chocolate bars could pose, particularly those living with a food allergy or intolerance,” said FSA head of incidents Jane Rawling.

“There is no way of knowing what ingredients are in potentially counterfeit bars or what food hygiene practices are being followed by the people making or repackaging them.

“If you have bought any chocolate you think could be a fake, do not eat them or give them to friends and family.

“We encourage people to sign up to our food alerts to be notified when we publish a product recall. This can help you avoid eating foods that have been found to be unsafe,” Rawling added. 

It comes after Denar Limited recalled Destan Pistazien Crème Dubai Style 200g at the end of last month, because it contains milk which is not mentioned on the label. This means the product is a possible health risk for anyone with an allergy or intolerance to milk or milk constituents.

The recall includes all batch codes and best before dates up to and including 4 April 2027.

The FSA issued its first warning to retailers, importers and consumers  in June that some Dubai-style chocolate  being sold in the UK may pose a risk to individuals with food allergies.