These cooking sauces have been recalled due to botulism contamination fears - here’s what to do if you have them at home

Pasco Foods Ltd has been forced to recall 11 of its sauces due to botulism contamination concerns.

The Food Standards Agency said the company had failed to demonstrate manufacturing controls to “prevent the growth and toxin production of clostridium botulinum.”

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They assured customers that the recall was a precautionary measure.

What is Clostridium Botulinum?

Clostridium botulinum are sausage-shaped bacteria that are normally relatively harmless.

But when they grow in low-oxygen conditions - like inside sealed tins and bottles - the bacteria produce a powerful and dangerous neurotoxin which damages nerves, the brain, and the spinal cord.

According to the NHS, the botulism neurotoxin is one of the most powerful ever discovered - even microscopic amounts of it can prove fatal to humans.

What are the symptoms?

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Symptoms of botulism can take days to develop, and can sometimes start with vomiting, constipation, or diarrhoea.

As the neurotoxin attacks the body’s nervous system, people can develop symptoms including drooping eyelids, blurred vision, muscle weakness, difficulty swallowing, slurred speech, and breathing difficulties.

What causes it?

High food standards in the UK mean botulism is rare here, but one of the most common ways to get it is by eating improperly preserved foods, or eating food stored in damaged tins and bottles.

Which sauces are affected by the recall?

Customers who have bought the following Pasco sauces can check the batch code on the bottle to see if it is included by the recall.

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Pasco Punjabi Butter Chicken Cooking SaucePack size: 350 gBatch code: 917052Best-before date: 2021-07-16 (July 2021)

Pasco Delhi Tikka Masala Cooking SaucePack size: 350 gBatch code: 919019Best-before date: 2021-09-16 (September 2021)

Pasco Delhi Tikka Masala Cooking SaucePack size: 350 gBatch code: 917052Best-before date: 2021-07-16 (July 2021)

Pasco Goanese Vindaloo Cooking SaucePack size: 350 gBatch code: 915092Best-before date: 2021-05-16 (May 2021)

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Pasco Navratan Korma Cooking SaucePack size: 350 gBatch code: 915003Best-before date: 2021-05-16 (May 2021)

Pasco Mumbai Palak Masala Cooking SaucePack size: 350 gBatch code: 918050Best-before date: 2021-08-16 (August 2021)

Pasco Rajastani Jalfrezi Cooking SaucePack size: 350 gBatch code: 915003Best-before date: 2021-05-16 (May 2021)

Pasco Rogan Josh Cooking SaucePack size: 350 gBatch code: 915092Best-before date: 2021-05-16 (May 2021)

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Pasco Navratan Korma Cooking SaucePack size: 350 gBatch code: 918050Best-before date: 2021-08-16 (August 2021)

Pasco Punjabi Butter Chicken Cooking SaucePack size: 350 gBatch code: 913021Best-before date: 2021-03-16 (March 2021)

Pasco Kashmiri Rogan Josh Cooking SaucePack size: 350 gBatch code: 913021Best-before date: 2021-03-16 (March 2021)

What to do if you have bought one of the affected products

The Food Standards Agency has urged anyone who has bought any of the affected products not to eat them.

Instead, customers are advised to return them to the store where they were bought from for a full refund - with or without receipts.