Allergy warning Mr Beast Feastables Milk chocolate bar

[CurlyhairedAssassin]

Just a heads up if anyone in your family has a peanut allergy. My son does, he's 18 and bought a milk chocolate version of the Mr Beast Feastable bars from a local Asda this afternoon and had a fairly bad allergic reaction within 15 or 20 mins of eating it (non anaphylactic, luckily, but we had his epipens at the ready). There are no nuts listed in the ingredients list but there is the usual warning you often get on chocolate bars or cakes saying "may contain peanuts, tree nuts, soy and wheat."

Whille he has never had an anaphylactic reaction before he does carry an epi pen since having a reaction to peanut butter when he was 3 and having positive allergy tests at the allergy clinic in hospital. He is usually fine eating products with the "may contain....." warning on as long as there are no nuts in the ingredients list - he hasn't had any allergic reactions through accidental ingestion since his first reaction to peanut butter when he was 3, so I am assuming there has been contamination of the product with peanuts somewhere in the manufacturing process.

I spoke to someone at Asda who said they were going to check if there was a product recall on it. I'd already checked and there isn't so I'm worried that someone else may accidentally eat one. They only sell them in Asda and Spar. I've also filled out an online form with the Feastables company too but thought it was worth mentioning on here.

A quick google showed that there was a product recall in Australia/New Zealand last year after peanut contamination, so be very careful!

Hi,

Thank you so much for posting this. My son (9 years old) had the same product today from Asda, small milk chocolate bar by Mr Beast (Feastables) and the same happened. In the space of 20min he started this raspy cough (poor him, he thought he swallowed an insect, but it was the reaction in his throat), very bad tummy ache, cramps, and his chest, back, underarms, groin filled with hives, growing by the minute. It was so itchy he wasn’t himself anymore. He was really scared, and we were too. It happened so fast. Luckily, no breathing problems, no throat tightness. My husband gave him Cetirizine and Salbutamol inhaler (we have epipens, and like you, thank god we never had an incident where we had to use them, but he is allergic to peanuts, sesame, shellfish). We went to a&e and he started to throw up. After that, he slowly started to recover. We will continue with the PIriton/Cetirizine dose in the next couple of days. I thought it was worth mentioning, like you said as I knew it was from that chocolate, but reading your comment I felt a duty to tell my story. Our son is ‘very sensitive’ to peanuts, but I’m thinking of children with more severe allergies, to be aware.

But this is why there's a 'may contain' warning.

I have an anaphylactic allergy and do not eat anything that 'may contain' my allergen.

Yes I’m confused - why would there be a recall when it already says ‘May contain peanuts‘ on it? That’s the warning that it may be contaminated !

Sounds like somethings changed if you’ve got 2 mumsnetters reporting the same experience.

This is why organisations like Allergy UK have campaigned for less ambiguous wording on packaging as well as more stringent checks in the production. The likes of M&S put "not suitable for nut allergy sufferers" because they also have the warning "may contain nuts...." on nearly every cake and biscuit and chocolate bar, just to cover themselves. Does that mean that people who have only ever had a mild reaction (never an anaphylactic one) 15 year prior should never eat any of their products? At the first clinic test he had done many years ago he only had a very transient reaction, in the waiting room, and when the nurse called him back in she said she didn't think it was positive because it had nearly disappeared and the circle wasn't wide enough to be classed as a full blown reaction. But luckily I'd taken a photo on my phone and I pushed for them to do another one and to let us stay in the room with them this time.

DS's consultants were always happy with the approach to just check the actual ingredients list with the allergens in bold, and to only buy main and well-known brands. We never eat in any Indian, Chinese or Thai restaurants with him and always check about allergies when we go to restaurants and ever he can't be certain from what they/the allergen folder says he'll just have vanilla ice cream or something.

That approach has got him through 15 years with no reaction whatsoever. Then he eats from a new imported brand from a small producer I've never heard of and bingo, he has a reaction. I thought it was worth reporting, and they emailed back asking for photos of the wrapper, full details of what it said, where he bought it from etc - they were taking it very seriously, and it was being referred to their food safety department. As I said in my OP, there WAS a product recall from just 2 cases in Australia or New Zealand, so it's definitely worth reporting, @AlexandraC85 . If a whole load of peanuts has got into the production line and contaminated a batch of chocolate bars then they do need to know this and in my view a product recall on that batch needs to be done. (and would be done from my understanding).

I'm glad your son was ok, @AlexandraC85 , it must have been very scary.

As it is, DH has said that it's probably a good thing in a way that it's happened now like this for DS as he is due to go off to uni in the autumn and it's probably taught him a lesson that he really needs to take it seriously and remember his epi pen everywhere. Got me a bit worried about shared cooking spaces, though, I'm going to have to do a bit of research as to the best way for him to manage that.

As I said, DS has never been advised this, due to never having had an anaphylactic reaction. If there are so may products with that "may contain..." warning, even though nuts are not in the ingredients list, do you find that you are extremely restricted in what you can eat? Or does it just mean doing lots of cooking from scratch? Just wondering how an 18 year old boy at uni with crowded cooking facilities will manage if he now has to think about perhaps avoiding all "may contain...." labelled-products.

My allergy isn't nuts, it's wheat, so I follow a strict wheat/gluten free diet.

Yes, I am restricted when eating out.

Yes, I cook a lot from scratch.

I'd be very concerned about using a shared kitchen at uni (at home all main meals are GF and one small bit of worktop houses a non-GF breadbin and toaster etc).

'May contain' labelling isn't great as it does often feel like it's done out of laziness, but if the warning there I don't think a manufacturer can be blamed for contamination. It is very much buyer beware.

I have no idea but maybe US chocolate limits for "may contain" are higher than the UK?
For example using the same conveyor at the factory for nuts/no nuts.
I suppose even if there was a single nut stuck in the centre of the bar they've still covered themselves.
You've done the right thing though as it needs reporting to see if there is something happening that shouldn't be.

I am middle aged and have an anaphylaxis level allergy to peanuts and sesame too. I don't avoid food that says "may contain..." because it's on practically everything. I'd rather take the risks (and potentially die young) than have to live my life hardly being able to eat anything or eat anywhere.

If a product doesn't contain something (ie nuts) it shouldn't contain it. Companies need to make sure hygiene is maintained on production lines .

Mr Beast Milk Chocolate only contains a few ingredients (as far as I can remember - I was impressed) so really shouldn't have much chance of cross contamination anyway.

I've had a life long but allergy. I agree, I'd have an incredibly limited diet with the may contain traces label. No bread, biscuits, cakes...cereal...

Chocolate though, I am careful with. I used to react to Terry's chocolate and cheaper chocolate bars in the 80s so I think it's a one to be very careful of.

I think your son needs to advocate very loudly for himself at uni. Ask accommodation if they can help with signage in the kitchen for example or lecturers in teaching spaces if he's anaphylactic.

My housemates uses to love peanut butter. I ended up stuck in my room for hours because I couldn't come out until the smell had gone. At least it's better known now.

@AlexandraC85- just a by the by- once there is 2 system involvement- it's recommended to administer an epi pen- and we do in three hospital. Doesn't have to be breathing affected, if you've got skin and gut- we would still give adrenaline- although I understand your son was fine, I probably juts would to be safest next time. I have friends who like this creator- will definitely tell them not to buy it for their kids if 2 people have had the same problem!

no I don’t eat anything that says may contain peanuts or any of those warnings. Yes it is a pain but to me it’s not worth the risk of dying from eating a bar of chocolate. There are loads of chocolate bars and foods that are peanut free.

I’m never had anaphylactic shock but have had three reactions (before I figured out the problem) and have avoided ‘may contains’ ever since. Woolly labelling is an issue I agree but the problem is you never know which thing is the thing that’s contaminated.

We’ve been in hospital for 4 hours, and the clinician said he wouldn’t administer epipens, steroids because he didn’t have breathing problems. He said our son is only little and these medicines have long lasting effects. But to keep monitoring him and continue with cetirizine for a few days, which we have. 3 days later and his skin is still itchy, the massive hives have disappeared, but his skin is still red, his face pale. It was a shock to his body. I know that for his own good we should avoid the ‘may contain products’, but this means to avoid everything. He had this chocolate on 2 occasions and he was fine. Like someone said here…it makes you buy it when you read is made out of 5 ingredients. You feel safe. But yeah, you’re mistaken. There’s no excuse for us as parents to buy this, but I feel that everything is labelled like this nowadays. My husband went to Asda’s the next day and spoke to the store manager who gave us an email address and a customer service number to report it. I was looking into reporting it with the Foods Standards Agency, but couldn’t find a form online. If you have suggestions on where to report it please let me know. I know there was a warning in the packaging , but I’ll still report it. @CurlyhairedAssassin thank you for the post, I felt so lucky when I discovered it that night. My son is 9 and he’s just getting out and about now, being invited to his friend’s houses, he’s preparing for his first school trip next month, and we have 1000 scenarios in our minds. He did say something when we got home from hospital: ‘Mum…now I’m older, now I understand and I’m telling you …it wasn’t half as bad as I thought’. These kids like in fear too, not only us, parents. I don’t know what to take from this awful experience. I’m fearful, confused and hope he’ll be ok to care of himself when we’re not around.

@AlexandraC85 @CurlyhairedAssassin

https://www.anaphylaxis.org.uk/allergy-alerts/

You can sign up for these and make reports I think.

Op and @AlexandraC85 i should have said, I’m really sorry to hear about your children’s experiences and I hope it doesn’t happen again. I’m in no way implying it’s your fault or anything that you bought the chocolate, doctors and consultants don’t give the greatest advice on this. I was never told to avoid those products either but learned a lot from online forums about the risks.

I fully agree that vague and woolly labelling is a problem and can cause people not to take the labelling seriously. But also want to assure you it’s not actually on ‘everything’. Yes it’s on lots of things but there are options for chocolate, cakes and etc.

And definitely think it’s worth reporting despite the warnings

there is the usual warning you often get on chocolate bars or cakes saying "may contain peanuts, tree nuts, soy and wheat."

Nothing to report. This is the whole point of a May Contain warning. If you have an allergy or intolerance, you avoid products that contain or may contain those products. The wording is not unclear or ambiguous.

It is not the "usual warning" - it's only there if there's a risk. There are plenty of other products in those categories that do not have those warnings.

I have to disagree that there's no need to report. The Feastables range of chocolate bars features a "Deez Nuts" chocolate bar which has peanut butter clearly labelled on the front of the wrapper. The manufacturer needs to determine if peanuts or peanut butter meant for the Deez Nuts peanut chocolate bars have somehow got into the production line for the Milk Chocolate bars, and if so, how that has happened, so that they can tighten up their processes and try to ensure it doesn't happen again.

In my view it's not on for manufacturers to be sloppy about their processes where allergens are concerned. If they've done everything they can to avoid cross contamination but there has been a single accidental contamination with a single bit of peanut that got stuck in a machine or something in a really unfortunate set of circumstances then fair enough. But if it's someone who has been sloppy and ignored safety processes and just decided that it will be fine to take a risk to save time or effort, or money, then no, that needs resolving, don't you think?

If they're making a nutty chocolate bar in the same facility, possibly sharing some lines, then it seems that their 'may contain nuts' labelling is entirely accurate.

Some allergens are harder to control, so there's a higher risk of contamination even with good cleaning etc practices. Nuts because of the oils, wheat and other flours because they are so easily transferred through the air and into the smallest gaps, sesame because the seeds can develop a static charge and transfer/cling to surfaces. Even the best hygiene can't eliminate all risk in production facilities unless they are strictly nut/wheat/sesame etc free. Hence the 'may contain warning'.

You've clearly been lucky so far and the 'may contains' haven't contained, but 'may contain' means it might contain, not that it definitely will and not that it definitely won't.

In my view it's not on for manufacturers to be sloppy about their processes where allergens are concerned. If they've done everything they can to avoid cross contamination but there has been a single accidental contamination with a single bit of peanut that got stuck in a machine or something in a really unfortunate set of circumstances then fair enough. But if it's someone who has been sloppy and ignored safety processes and just decided that it will be fine to take a risk to save time or effort, or money, then no, that needs resolving, don't you think?

That's exactly the sort of potential circumstances that causes a manufacturer to make a risk assessment and determine that a "May Contain" warning is required.

You might want to clue yourself up on the processes behind allergen warnings. And reflect that in this case the warning was clearly correctly applied, and your son ignored it. And you think the warning is at fault and not your son???

Thanks for the explanation,,@Scampuss . Bit less finger waggy than @DogInATent ’s! 😆 And was useful, and interesting, especially about the sesame seeds and static.

I would have said that my son IS careful to check things. Wrappers, ask questions of restaurant staff, will turn down dessert from eg an ice cream parlour if they can’t guarantee there is no cross contamination etc etc . We just don’t go to Indian restaurants and won’t ever have an Indian or Chinese takeaway, we make his from scratch.

His allergy consultant was happy with the approach to just avoid products with nuts in the actual ingredients list all these years, so we followed his advice to carry on doing what we were doing. We are careful but do have peanut butter in the house. He knows not to touch the knife or plate with the peanut butter on. I wash them by hand rather than put them in the dishwasher with anything else. I don’t discard the dish sponge I use though, or use a separate one, I just wash it carefully afterwards. Never any reaction whatsoever. If he had had a reaction just from others eating it in the house I wouldn’t have it in the house.

I’m just finding it surprising that for 15 years he hasn’t had the slightest reaction. One thing I’ve learned from googling after this is that you are more likely to have a reaction if you are under stress, which I didn’t know. He’s just finished his A-levels, and has worked really hard so I guess that stress won’t help. And his hay fever hasn’t been bad this summer compared to other years so he hasn’t been taking a daily antihistamine. Maybe that’s had something to do with it. 💁‍♀️. As there was a product recall in Aus/NZ for peanut contamination in those bars just a few months ago I figured it was worth reporting rather than just assuming that DS had taken an unnecessary risk.

Can someone who knows better than me tell me if a peanut allergic person is likely to get a reaction if they snog someone who’s eaten peanuts recently? If it wasn’t enough to worry about shared cooking spaces when he goes to uni I’m also worrying I might have to advise him to cross examine every girl he fancies before he snogs them. 😆

@CurlyhairedAssassin - would depend on the severity of the allergy, if the other person had nut/ nut oil on their lips (or stuck in their teeth) 🤢 then potentially, yes. But the risk would be small.

He definitely needs to be careful with snogging, yes!

The difficulty is that you can never predict the severity of the next reaction, and there are things that can increase the risk of a reaction like stress, alcohol, heat/cold, illness, NSAIDs, exercise and, for women and girls, menstruation and female hormones. All of these (commonly termed co-factors) can lower the threshold for reacting and/or increase severity.