July 21, 2009 - Active brand peanut butter, Active brand groundnut paste and peanut butter made by Jesu Aka Ltd are contaminated with excessively high levels of aflatoxins.
The Active brand groundnut paste is made from peanuts (peanuts are also known as groundnuts). The products, which are made in Ghana, and are generally sold in food stores that sell African and or African-Caribbean food.
The Agency has issued a Food Alert for Action advising local authority food law enforcement officers to remove these products from sale.
The contaminated products, which also fail to comply with food labelling legislation, are imported and distributed in the UK by Marduro UK Ltd.
Despite enquiries by food law enforcement officers in London, the Agency has not been able to establish exact distribution details of the products. However, the Agency is aware that the products are distributed through direct van sales to retailers who sell African or African-Caribbean food products.
Product detailsActive Peanut Butter and Active Groundnut Paste (made by Mardoro Ltd)
The Active brand peanut butter and Active brand groundnut paste is made in Ghana by Mardoro Ltd (sometimes known as Maduro Ltd). The products are sold in clear plastic jars varying in size with a yellow lid and a red and yellow label. The wording 'Active Peanut Butter' or 'Active Groundnut Paste' is boldly printed on the label. The expiry date and batch code are often handwritten on the label or not provided at all.
Peanut Butter (made by Jesu Aka Ltd)
The peanut butter manufactured by Jesu Aka Ltd is sold in clear plastic jars varying in size with a yellow lid and a yellow and beige label. The wording ‘Peanut Butter’ is boldly printed on the label, with ‘manufactured by Jesu Aka Ltd’ appearing in smaller-sized text. The expiry date and batch code are handwritten on the label, which is sometimes unreadable. There is no clear brand name for this product.
Actions to be taken by local authoritiesThese products contain aflatoxins well in excess of the maximum levels laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006, which is enforced in England by the Contaminants in Food (England) Regulations 2009.
Enforcement officers are asked to visit food stores in their area that mainly sell African and or African-Caribbean food products to identify if the products are on sale. Both products are to be removed from sale, if necessary using powers under the Food Safety Act 1990. Officers are also asked to tell the Agency of any findings via email or by submitting an Incident Report Form online or by fax.