Do not eat warning issued after major supermarkets pull healthy breakfast favourite from shelves over deadly allergy risk
Batches of a popular breakfast cereal sold in supermarkets across Britain have been urgently recalled over fears they could trigger life-threatening allergic reactions.Food safety watchdogs stuck a 'do not eat' alert on packets of Spoon Cereals' Cinnamon and Pecan Granola. It is feared the product, which costs up to £5 in Waitrose, Ocado and Morrisons, may contain oats and peanuts and poses a risk to anyone with an allergy or intolerance to gluten or peanuts. Spoon Cereals said the recall only affected its 400g packets of the granola with the batch code M5244 and specific best before dates. These included May 22, 2026 and 26 May 26, 2026. They added: 'A small number of one batch was mispackaged by a co-packer and as a result some products may contain peanuts and gluten. 'This product is a possible health risk to individuals with a peanut or gluten allergy or intolerance, or those with coeliac disease. 'If this applies to you, please do not consume. Please return to the place of purchase for a full refund.' Food safety watchdogs stuck a 'do not eat' alert on packets of Spoon Cereals' Cinnamon and Pecan Granola'For more information contact Spoon Cereals by email at spoon@spooncereals.co.uk.' British safety regulator, The Food Standards Agency (FSA), which issued the alert, also said: 'The business has also issued a point-of-sale notice to its customers. 'These notices explain to customers why the product is being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the product.'Coeliac disease is an auto immune condition where sufferers cannot digest gluten. It is thought to affect around one in every 100 people. For sufferers of coeliac disease or any other condition which makes them gluten intolerant, an allergic reaction can cause symptoms ranging from rashes to trouble breathing and even unconsciousness.Among those who have coeliac disease, the immune system mistakes substances found inside gluten as a threat to the body and attacks them.This damages the surface of the small bowel, disrupting the body's ability to take in nutrients from food.It's not entirely clear what causes the immune system to act this way, but a combination of genetics and the environment appear to play a part. In 2017, Natasha Ednan-Laperouse collapsed and died on a flight after unknowingly eating sesame in a Pret baguettePeanuts, meanwhile, are among the 14 allergens required by law to be declared on packaging. Failing to do so can carry serious consequences. Nut allergies are among of the most severe and potentially deadly food allergies, affecting around one in 50 children and one in 200 adults in the UK.Anyone who has already consumed the product and is experiencing symptoms of an allergic reaction—such as swelling, hives, difficulty breathing or dizziness—is urged to seek medical help immediately. For some, even microscopic amounts of nut protein can trigger anaphylaxis—a rapid, life-threatening allergic reaction.Notable fatal cases in recent years have raised awareness of how devastating accidental exposure can be. In 2016, 15-year-old Megan Lee died after ordering takeaway food that failed to disclose peanut content. The restaurant owners were later jailed for manslaughter by gross negligence.And in 2017, Natasha Ednan-Laperouse collapsed and died on a flight after unknowingly eating sesame in a Pret a Manger baguette. Her death prompted new UK labelling laws—known as Natasha's Law—mandating clearer allergy information on pre-packed foods.While these cases involved sesame and takeaway food, experts warn that poor labelling on packaged goods—particularly imported products—remains a key risk for allergy sufferers.Around 6 per cent of the UK adult population, around 2.4 million people, have a confirmed food allergy.But in general, they are just told to avoid eating what they're allergic to, there is no treatment. Bereaved families of those who have lost children to allergic reactions have repeatedly called for the Government to appoint an allergy tsar to improve NHS services and awareness of allergies, to prevent avoidable ill health and death.Recently more than 50 campaigners and experts including ex-Towie star Megan McKenna and Love Island's Jack Fowler, said the country wasn't doing enough to support the millions of Brits living with allergies.
