Linda McCartney's Namesake Food Company Dealing With Unfortunate Recall

Linda McCartney's namesake food brand is warning consumers against eating one of its products. The company, which was created in 1991 by the musician and photographer, recalled its 2 Vegetarian 1/4lb burgers after it was determined that they pose a severe heath risk to some consumers. The recalled burgers contain milk, which was not declared on the label.

The recall was issued on Aug. 10 and only includes Linda McCartney 2 Vegetarian 1/4lb burgers sold in the 227-gram pack size, according to a notice posted by the UK's Food Standards Agency. The recalled product has a Best Before date of January 2024, and the recall includes batch codes 20922, 21022, and 21122. The batch code can be located under the Best Before date. No other date codes or Linda McCartney products are affected by the recall.

The recall was initiated following a packaging mix-up. In a point-of-sale notice issued to its customers, Linda McCartney explained that "a small number of cartons have been packed with Linda McCartney Mozzarella Burgers," which contain milk. This has resulted in the mispackaged 2 Vegetarian 1/4lb burgers, which are actually Mozzarella Burgers, containing milk that is not declared on the label. Milk is one of the most common food allergies in children and can pose a potentially life-threatening risk for those with a milk allergy. According to the Mayo Clinic, signs and symptoms of a milk allergy occur a few minutes to a few hours after consumption of milk or a milk product and range from mild to severe. Although symptoms may vary from person to person, they commonly include wheezing, vomiting, hives and digestive problems. Milk is the third most common food, after peanuts and tree nuts, to cause anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction that narrows the airways and can block breathing. The Food Standards Agency's notice did not note if any adverse reactions have been reported in connection to the recalled product, which consumers are being advised not to eat.

The recall marks just the latest in a string of recalls to surface across the globe due to undeclared milk. Just a day before the Linda McCartney recall, Health Canada alerted consumers that Circle K brand Classic Potato Chips sold in Ontario were recalled due to undeclared milk. It is also unclear if any adverse reactions were reported in regards to that recall. In the case of the Linda McCartney recall, the company said, "please do not consume this product if you have an allergy to MILK, return the product to store of purchase for a full refund. No receipt is required.