The Ministry from the Health has issued a warning note for some taralli present in Italian supermarkets. The note of July 12, published on the Ministry website on Thursday, July 18, refers to a product branded Agluten that would be at risk for all consumers intolerant to gluten. In fact, despite being specifically for intolerant people, the gluten allergen would be present.
Beware of taralli with gluten
The ones affected by the recall note from the Ministry of Health are: Oatmeal Taralli under brand Gluten. This is a product that comes in 100 gram packs.
Specifically, the product is marketed by Nove Alpi Srl from the manufacturer Re Food Srl. The production plant is in Conversano, in the province of Bari, in via Van Gogh 25.
The affected batch is 241730 with expiration date 03-03-2025. The packaging lists all the ingredients used, but warns that the “fragrant oat taralli” may contain traces of soy and mustard. A product that, without palm oil and a rich source of fiber, is specifically indicated as “gluten-free”.
The reason for the recall? The “presence of the allergen GLUTEN in a product declared “specifically formulated for people intolerant to gluten””.
In short, a significant oversight that could be fatal to intolerant consumers. This is why the warning in the recall note is clear: “The product must not be consumed by people suffering from CELIAC DISEASE and sensitive to the allergen Gluten, and returned to the point of sale”.
Allergen problem
This is a recall that is often implemented in order to prevent any type of problem for the final consumer, as in this specific case the product would be missing the warning required by law: “The product must not be consumed by individuals gluten intolerant“.
EU Regulation No. 1169/2011, which came into force on 13 December 2014, in fact introduced the obligation for producers and commercial establishments to reportin foods, the presence of substances that can cause allergies or intolerances. This is a legal document that is configured as a real single text in which all the rules and procedures to be followed for the correct management of allergens are collected. The regulation also presents a detailed and precise list of substances considered allergens.
We speak of allergens when we refer to 14 substances that must be indicated as:
- Cereals containing gluten;
- Crustaceans;
- Egg;
- Fish;
- Peanuts;
- Soy;
- Milk;
- Nuts;
- Celery;
- Mustard;
- Sesame seeds;
- Sulfur dioxide and sulphites;
- Lupins;
- Clams.
Food safety first
As mentioned, food safety is put first by the Ministry of Health which monitors as best it can the quality of products sold in supermarkets. Specifically, this mechanism is possible thanks to food sector operators (OSA) who have the obligation to inform their customers of non-compliance found in foods they sell and to withdraw a product from the market.
In addition to the recall, if the product has already been sold to the consumer, the OSA must provide for the recall, that is, it must inform consumers about the risky products, also by means of signs to be placed in the points of sale, and publish the recall in the specific area of the Ministry of Health portal.
