Two chilled-food recalls on the FSA list this week are the sort that could easily be sitting on a van shelf. The first went out on 13 October: Waitrose has recalled 115g tubs of its Tuna Pâté because the packs carry a use-by date of 17 December 2026 when the correct date was 17 October 2026. That is about two months too long, on a chilled fish product.
The second is an allergen one, issued on 15 October. Gilbert’s Kosher Foods has recalled Gilbert’s Chopped Liver across England because the tubs say gluten free but the product contains wheat from matzo meal. It covers 250g and 450g tubs with use-by dates of 23 October, 28 October, 4 November and 13 November 2026. All of those dates are still ahead of us, so affected tubs may well be in chillers and vans right now.
Why I’m flagging it to caterers in particular: a pâté with a date that looks fine is exactly what gets loaded, delivered to a function and put on a buffet in good faith. Nobody along the chain sees anything wrong. The van is the last stop before your customer, so a thirty-second date check at loading catches what the supplier’s printer missed.
The chopped liver one is a reminder that the label on the tub is not the only line of defence for a coeliac or wheat-allergic guest. If you run gluten-free lines, keep them in their own sealed tubs or on their own shelf in the van, and hang on to the batch and use-by details so if a recall lands you can trace it to a specific drop rather than ring every customer from the week.
A simple routine that works for a multi-drop day: glance at the FSA alerts page before the week’s first load, compare use-by dates on the tubs against the delivery note, and if anything is on a recall list, bag it, label it and quarantine it rather than leaving it loose in the fridge compartment next to the good stock. The Ukrainian egg withdrawal I mentioned last week (stamp code 3UA1012066) is still on the same list, so it is worth a second look at any trays you’ve had in since.
Quick checklist
- Check the FSA alerts page before the week’s first loading.
- Compare use-by dates on tubs against the delivery note, not just the box.
- Keep gluten-free and other allergen-free lines on their own shelf or in sealed tubs.
- Write down batch codes and use-by dates per drop so recalls can be traced.
- Bag, label and quarantine recalled stock rather than leaving it in the fridge compartment.
Also in the news
- Market Halls reported on 19 October a surge in Christmas bookings for experience-led parties, so the event-catering run-up is already under way. Source
- On 19 October Propel reported Whitbread counting the cost of a business-rates hit, with well over half of small businesses saying government is not on their side. Source
Shelving that keeps allergen-free lines apart is easier in the right van, so here are three that suit a catering round, with the new arrival first.
- 2023 (73 Reg) Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 315CDI L2H2 Refrigerated Chiller Van: £39,495 +VAT
- 2022 Ford Transit Custom Trend L2H1 Refrigerated Chiller Van: £24,995 +VAT
- 2024 24 Reg Ford Transit Connect L2 Limited Refrigerated Freezer Van: £23,995 +VAT
Call us on 01444 245555 to talk it through.
Sources: Asda, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose & Next shoppers recall warnings, Home – Propel Hospitality, Waitrose recalls Waitrose Tuna Pate because of an incorrect use-by date – Alerts, Waitrose pulls widely sold fish product over use-by date blunder, Gilbert’s Kosher Foods Limited recalls Gilbert’s Chopped Liver because gluten has been incorrectly declared on the label – Alerts, Wheat (gluten) alert – Gilbert’s Chopped Liver – Anaphylaxis UK
