Recall round-up – Energy drinks, pharma-tainted supplements & seaweed

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As 2021 gets underway amid muted new year celebrations, products, ingredients and extracts continue to raise interest among European authorities as NutraIngredients presents a round-up of food alerts involving energy drinks, tainted food supplements and dried seaweed.

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Monster Energy drinks identified in recall. ©Monster Energy

This month, Ireland’s Food Safety Authority (FSAI) have moved to recall a number of Monster Energy drinks after they were found to contain too much propylene glycol.

The implicated drinks are ‘Ripper Juiced Monster Energy + Juice,’ and ‘Lewis Hamilton Monster Energy,’ which both come in 500 millilitre (ml) pack sizes.

Othe drinks in question includes ‘Espresso Monster Vanilla Espresso Triple Shot,’ and ‘Espresso Monster Salted Caramel Triple Shot,’ which are available in 250ml pack sizes.

The notification identifies all batches and all best before dates of these products, which are produced in The Netherlands. The FSAI said the implicated drinks were not expected to cause any harmful effects.

Dried seaweed

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Shantou Wanjiaxiang Food Co., LTD Dried Seaweed.

Sticking with the FSAI, the authority have also confirmed the withdrawal of a dried seaweed product due to the presence of excess iodine.

The affected batch (pack size, 72g; batch no ‘961220’; best before date; 20/01/2022) is the produce of China’s Shantou Wanjiaxiang Food Co.

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SENSIMAXX forte. ©United Research

“Acute exposure to excessively high iodine intake can lead to changes in thyroid function, primarily hypothyroidism,” the notification states.

“Point-of-sale withdrawal notices will be displayed in stores supplied with the implicated batch.”

Finally, Italy’s Ministry of Health reports the illegal presence of the erectile dysfunction drug Sildenafil in the food supplement, SENSIMAXX forte.

Produced in the UK by United Research and sold by SC Extraplant Gordi srl, Zorilor n.4 Cihei Bihor, Romania, the affected product is available as 3 capsules of 1.5 grams (g), lot no ‘1149pnp,’ expiry date ‘10/10/2021.’