Waitrose has urgently recalled packs of its own-brand cupcakes over fears they may contain undeclared nuts.
The supermarket placed a “do not eat” warning on its pack of nine mini chocolate cupcakes.
Food safety watchdogs have warned that the product, which costs £2.60, poses a “possible health risk to anyone with a nut allergy”.
A nut allergy attack usually triggers relatively minor symptoms, such as cramps, nausea and diarrhea.
But in rare cases it can cause anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction that can kill within minutes by causing the throat to swell and block airflow.
The supermarket has placed a “do not eat” warning on its pack of nine mini chocolate cupcakes. Food safety watchdogs have warned that the product, which costs £2.60, poses a “possible health risk to anyone allergic to nuts”.
The alert affects products with an expiration date of July 20.
Waitrose said a “packaging error” meant some packages mistakenly contained a coffee and nut cupcake.
The FSA said notices will also be displayed at points of sale explaining to customers why the product is being recalled.
She added: ‘If you have purchased any of the above products and have a nut allergy, do not eat them.
‘Instead, return it to the store where you purchased it for a full refund.’
There are currently no cures for nut allergies, which affect around one in 200 adults and one in 50 children in the UK.
Nut allergies are among the most common food allergies, according to the NHS.
Tree nuts include walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, cashews, pistachios and Brazil nuts and cause nausea, dizziness and itchy skin in those who are allergic.
Other mild symptoms may include rash, swelling, or vomiting.
In rare cases, symptoms may persist for a few hours after exposure.
Patients are told to carry life-saving EpiPens or other auto-injectors in case they suffer a reaction.
In severe cases, reactions can cause anaphylactic shock, a lethal overreaction of the immune system that can kill a person within minutes.
Anaphylaxis, a dangerous inflammation of the airways, can make breathing difficult or even impossible and can cause the heart to stop due to lack of oxygen.
Children with allergies are considered to be at particular risk of severe reactions because, due to their smaller body size, even small amounts of allergens trigger larger reactions.
Allergies are also often discovered in childhood, meaning parents may not have an emergency injection on hand if an allergic reaction occurs.
