SOUP has been recalled from a UK supermarket over fears it contains shards of metal.
A batch of butternut squash soup has been declared “unsafe to eat” due to possible contamination, the food safety watchdog and supermarket have warned.
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Marks & Spencer urged anyone who bought its own brand soup to return it for a full refund.
The recall covers soups with a use-by date of 6.10.2024 and barcode 0041142.
“The product may contain pieces of metal making it unsafe to eat,” the Food Standard Agency (FSA) said.
Recall notices are on display in shops and online.
An M&S spokesperson said: “Please do not consume this product.
“Any customers in procession can return it to their nearest store where a full refund will be given.
“No other M&S products are affected.
“We apologise to our customers for any inconvenience caused.”
For more information, you can call M&S on 03330148555.
Swallowing sharp objects like metal and plastic can injure the teeth, mouth and oesophagus (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.
Anyone who thinks they or a family member have swallowed something made of metal should always seek medical help.
What to do if you think you are affected
By Isabel Shaw, health reporter
Firstly, do not eat the product.
The recall means the soup could be dangerous and is therefore unsafe to eat.
Then, either chuck the food out safely or return it to your nearest store for a full refund.
This can be done with or without a receipt.
If you have already eaten the product, watch out for symptoms like pain, bleeding, or difficulty swallowing.
If you experience any of these, or if you’re concerned, it’s best to seek medical attention immediately.
If you or someone near you is choking, follow the guidance below.
The FSA issues alerts if there is a problem with food products which should not be sold.
This could be because it has been contaminated with something, such as mould or metal, or it carries an incorrect ‘use-by’ date.
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What to do if someone is choking
First aid steps for someone who 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 for 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
