Undeclared peanuts in products of Chinese origin

A widespread product recall was instigated throughout Australia in January 2011 after a batch of Chinese-made soy flour used in the preparation of imported crumbed fish and seafood products was found to contain undeclared peanut protein.

The crumb coating, reportedly supplied by Newly Weds Foods Beijing, included peanut-containing soy flour supplied by Anyang Mantianxue Food Manufacturing. Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) believe the supply chain for the soy flour may involve a number of companies and expressed concern about the potential for other foods on the marketplace to also contain undeclared peanut. As a result, FSANZ issued a general warning to peanut-allergic people in Australia to avoid eating imported crumbed fish or seafood products.

Recalls of various brands of crumbed fish and seafood products were initiated on 06, 18, 25 and 29 January 2011. Prior to the recalls, six peanut-allergic people became seriously ill after consuming a type of imported crumbed fish or seafood which contained undisclosed traces of peanut. The six people – four from Victoria, one from Western Australia and one from Queensland, each had emergency adrenaline injection available. One also required a trip to hospital.

An additional recall was initiated in Australia on 24 February 2011 due to undeclared peanuts in frozen dumplings imported from China. It is not clear whether this is related to the peanut-containing soy flour.

Further details of the recalls are available on the website www.foodstandards.gov.au.