UNSAFE TO EAT
Major supermarket issues urgent recall of supplement that may contain STONES and METAL
Read on for the risks associated with swallowing metal or stones
A MAJOR supermarket chain is pulling a supplement off shelves over fears it may contain small stones and pieces of metal.
Products from a buzzy wellness brand founded by Professor Tim Spector were urgently recalled, as the presence of foreign objects would make them "unsafe to eat".
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Waitrose is recalling ZOE's Daily 30+ 7 Day "because it may contain small stones and small pieces of metal," according to by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
"The possible presence of stones and metal makes this product unsafe to eat," the food watchdog said.
The supplement - a mixture of seeds and spices that's sprinkled over meals - is supposed to help you incorporate over 30 plants into your diet each week, which includes herbs and spices as well as fruit and veg.
ZOE and Prof Spector say this can boost your gut health, which can have a positive impact on your overall health.
Read more on recalls
The Daily30+ supplement sachet is carried exclusively by Waitrose and contains over 30 ingredients, including flaxseed, lentils, chia, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, quinoa, nuts, beetroot and carrot flakes, thyme, cumin and turmeric.
Batches affected by the recall in branches across England, Wales and Scotland have a 'best before date' of September 30, 2025 and the following batch codes: 24266A, 24267A, 24270A.
In a notice to customers, Waitrose urged customers not to consume the spice, seed and herb mix to avoid ingesting stones and metal fragments.
Instead, they were told to package up the item and return it to their local Waitrose branch for a refund.
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Swallowing sharp objects like metal and plastic can injure the teeth, mouth and food pipe, and be a choking risk.
If fragments make it further into the body, this can puncture the intestines and cause internal bleeding in severe cases.
Children First Aid: Choking
You should always seek urgent medical help if you think you have swallowed something made of metal.
Ingesting small, hard object such as stones can also pose a risk of choking, especially small children.
It's not the first time metal shards and stones have been found in food.
In October, Marks & Spencer recalled batches of butternut squash soup over fears they contained pieces of metal.
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Meanwhile, Costa pulled sandwiches and wraps from its stores last year due to possible containing stones.
What to do if someone is choking
Mild choking
If the airway is only partly blocked, the person will usually be able to speak, cry, cough or breathe, and may be able to clear the blockage themselves.
In adults:
- Encourage them to keep coughing
- Ask them to try to spit out the object
- Don't put your fingers in their mouth
- If coughing doesn't work, start back blows
In children:
- If you can see the object, try to remove it (but don't poke blindly)
- Encouraging coughing
- Shout for help if coughing isn't effective or the child is silent
- Use back blows if the child is still conscious but not coughing
Severe choking
In adults:
Where choking is severe, the person won't be able to speak, cry, cough or breathe.
Without help, they'll eventually become unconscious, so you should carry out back blows.
In children:
Back blows can be carried out on children under one year.
If this doesn't work, chest thrusts can be started on kids up to 12 months old, and abdominal thrusts on those over one year.
Call 999 if the blockage doesn't come out after trying back blows and either chest or abdominal thrusts.
Keep trying this cycle until help arrives.
Even if the object has come out, get medical help. Part of the object might have been left behind, or the patient might have been hurt by the procedure.
Source: NHS
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