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Food Standards Agency - Alerts Analysis
Last Updated: Wednesday, January 28, 2026 09:15 AM - Data up to Tuesday, 27 January, 2026
Other Category Contamination Analysis for Food Safety Alerts from food.gov.uk
This section provides an overview of food safety alerts issued by the Food Standards Agency that do not fall under the categories of pathogens, allergens, or foreign materials. The data presented below highlights other contaminant, production or packaging issues that have posed a risk to public health and food safety.
Labelling Error
Generally these are the misidentification or missing ingredients in required product labelling, incorrect storage instructions, or misleading claims about the product's characteristics. This type of error can result in consumers making uninformed purchasing decisions, potentially compromising their health.
Unapproved Facilities
Unapproved facilities may not have met minimum food safety standards, increasing the risk of contamination and potential harm to consumers.
Unhygienic Production
Unhygienic production refers to the failure to maintain proper cleanliness and sanitation standards during food processing, manufacturing, or preparation. This type of error can occur at any stage of the food production process, from raw material handling to finished product packaging. Common examples of unhygienic production practices include:
- Inadequate cleaning and sanitizing
- Poor personal hygiene
- Inadequate storage and handling
- Lack of temperature control
Packaging Issues
Improper packaging can also compromise the integrity of food packaging materials, allowing contaminants to enter the product stream.
Shattering Bottles
Highlighting the potential risks associated with fragile packaging, manufacturing defects, post production fermentation and more.
Choking Hazards
Contributing factors to choking hazards include the use of restricted thickening /gelling agents, plastic or wood parts
Examples include
- Creatine particles due to re-crystallisation
- Konjac flour, Carrageenan, Sodium Alginate and Konjac that are not permitted as an ingredient in jelly confectionery
Undercooked Products
Undercooked products may contain harmful bacteria, viruses, or parasites, posing a significant risk to public health.
Other Unclassified Safety Alerts - Types by year
Note, data currently missing between 2017 and 2020
| Other | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | total |
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| Use by Date | 0 | 2 | 6 | 12 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 0 | 49 |
| Hygiene Practices | 0 | 0 | 22 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 38 |
| Unapproved Facilities | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Packaging | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| Shattering Bottles | 1 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Choking Hazard | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| Undercooked | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| Illegal Additives | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Burning Sensation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Chlorate | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Mineral Oil | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Sell By Date | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Sugar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Excessive Vitamin D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Cooking Instructions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Product Tampered | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Sugar Lumps | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Caffeine - High Levels | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Iron Levels | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Atropine / scopolamine | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Fermentation in bottle | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Storage Instructions | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Aluminium Phosphide | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Struvite Salts | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Zinc, Niacin Levels | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| aflatoxins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Undeclared levels of xxx | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Low Thiamine Levels | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Selenium Levels | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Rhodamine B | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Protein Levels | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Missing Preservative | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Isopropyl alcohol | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Hydrogen Cyanide | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Histamine Levels | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Foul Odour | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Food Safety | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Curdling | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Consumption Advice | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Burn Risk | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| pH Levels | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
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Time Series Cross-Sectional Visualisations of Unclassified Alerts:
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Other Safety Alerts Distribution by Safety Issue
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Safety Alerts Distribution by Product Type
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Time Series Visualisations of Other (unclassified) Safety Alerts
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Safety Alerts by Contaminant / Issue Type
Labelling Error
Most Common Foods Alerts for Labelling Error
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Temporal Visualisations
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Unapproved Facilities
Most Common Food Alerts for Unapproved Facilities
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Temporal Visualisations
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Unhygienic Production
Most Common Food Safety Alerts for Unhygienic Production
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Temporal Visualisations
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Packaging
The Most Common Food Safety Alerts for Packaging
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Temporal Analysis
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Shattering Bottles
The Most Common Food Safety Alerts for Shattering Bottles
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Temporal Analysis
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Choking Hazard
The Most Common Food Safety Alerts for Choking Hazards
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Temporal Analysis
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Undercooked Ingredients
The Most Common Food Safety Alerts for Undercooked Ingredients
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Temporal Analysis
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A Slice Above the Rest: Cross Sectional Product Type Visualisations
Confectionery | Ready Meal / Ready to Eat |
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Vegetables Processed | Alcohol |
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Chicken Processed | Fish Processed |
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Sauces / Condiments | Pork Processed |
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Soft Drinks | Beef Processed |
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Dairy | Nutrition Supplements |
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Baby Foods / Formula | Cheese |
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A Taste of Trouble: Common Food Contaminants by Product Category
Beverages | Canned Goods |
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Confectionery | Nutrition Supplements |
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Processed Fish | Processed Meats |
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Ready Meal / Ready to Eat | Sauces / Condiments |
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Summary
The "other" category groups together safety alerts that are not for Allergens, Pathogens or Foreign Material contaminations. Alerts for largely unclassified issues account for 19% of all safety alerts issued. The top issues include Labelling Errors, Unapproved Facilities, Unhygienic Production, Packaging Issues, Shattering Bottles, Choking Hazard, and Undercooked Ingredients together represent 46% of all "other" safety alerts.
| Other | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Use by Date | 0 | 2 | 6 | 12 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 0 | 49 |
| Hygiene Practices | 0 | 0 | 22 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 38 |
| Unapproved Facilities | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Packaging | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| Shattering Bottles | 1 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Choking Hazard | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| Undercooked | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| Illegal Additives | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Burning Sensation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Chlorate | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Mineral Oil | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Sell By Date | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Sugar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Excessive Vitamin D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Cooking Instructions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Product Tampered | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Sugar Lumps | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Caffeine - High Levels | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Iron Levels | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Atropine / scopolamine | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Fermentation in bottle | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Storage Instructions | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Aluminium Phosphide | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Struvite Salts | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Zinc, Niacin Levels | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| aflatoxins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Undeclared levels of xxx | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Low Thiamine Levels | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Selenium Levels | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Rhodamine B | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Protein Levels | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Missing Preservative | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Isopropyl alcohol | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Hydrogen Cyanide | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Histamine Levels | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Foul Odour | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Food Safety | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Curdling | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Consumption Advice | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Burn Risk | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| pH Levels | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
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