Iceland urgently pulls £2.50 freezer staple from shelves and issues ‘do not eat’ warning over ‘health risk’ fears

Iceland is pulling a popular steam bag staple from the shelves over ‘health risk’ fears, warning customers: ‘Do not eat’.

The supermarket chain is recalling its 4 Golden Savoury Rice Steam Bags due to potential allergens not declared on the label.

Specifically, the product “may contain crustaceans, fish, milk, and molluscs, which could pose a health risk to individuals with allergies to these ingredients”.

The affected product is the 600g pack with a best before date of 16th November 2025.

The Golden Savoury Rice Steam Bags costs £2.50 in store but can be purchased online for £2.

According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), the presence of crustaceans, fish, milk, and molluscs in the product makes it unsafe for consumption by those allergic or intolerant to these allergens.

Allergy alerts are issued by the FSA when there is a potential risk posed by a food product due to missing or incorrect allergen labelling.

Iceland has initiated a recall of the product from all customers and has taken steps to inform relevant allergy support organisations about the recall.

The retailer has also issued a notice to customers, explaining the reasons for the recall and providing instructions on what to do if they have purchased the product.

Customers who have bought Iceland 4 Golden Savoury Rice Steam Bags with the specified best before date have been warned against eating it and to return it to an Iceland store.

The supermarket advised: “If you have bought the above product do not eat it.

“Instead, return it to any Iceland store for a full refund. For more information contact Iceland Customer Services on 0800 328 0800 (option 2).”

The retailer also recommends to “always check the packaging for allergen advice and talk to your doctor if you need any further food allergy advice”.

Withdrawal or recall of such products ensures consumer safety and adherence to allergen regulations.

An estimated two million people in the UK live with some kind of food allergy.

The most common is thought to be egg white, followed by wheat, green beans, rye and almonds.

Reactions to these foods can range from a sniffle or itch to life-threatening anaphylaxis, which blocks the airways.

Other symptoms can include:

• Swelling of your throat and tongue
• Difficulty breathing or breathing very fast
• Difficulty swallowing, tightness in your throat or a hoarse voice
• Wheezing, coughing or noisy breathing
• Feeling tired or confused
• 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)

Deaths from serious reactions due to food have declined over the past 20 years, analysis of UK NHS data in 2021 found.

Allergies can be a serious health risk to those who suffer from them, one Love Island star Jack Fowler revealed how he almost died on a flight to Dubai after suffering a serious allergic reaction.

Meanwhile, it seems his case is not isolated, as a BBC weather presenter described her “humiliating and desperate” experience over a nut allergy row which kicked off on her flight.

Elsewhere, a grieving mum reaches out to parents over the death of her 5 year old who suffered a fatal reaction at school, now she fears many other kids could face the same fate.