United Biscuits (UB) has voluntarily withdrawn its McVitie’s Toasting Waffles, after a change in the recipe.

The product was altered after the biscuit giant switched to a different manufacturing site, meaning the waffles now contain milk and lupin which some consumers are allergic to.

UB has labelled the products in the new ingredients list on pack, notified the Anaphylaxis Campaign, and flagged up the change on its website. Despite this, UB said “a small number of consumers” purchased the product before reading the ingredient listing on pack and without realising there has been a change.

In a statement, UB said: “United Biscuits has recognised the concerns of our regular consumers of McVitie’s Toasting Waffles and of the risks that milk and lupin present to those with a food intolerance to these ingredients. United Biscuits is a responsible food manufacturer and puts the safety and satisfaction of consumers above all other considerations. As such, United Biscuits has chosen to voluntarily remove McVitie’s Toasting Waffles from sale.

The new recipe for McVitie’s Tasting Waffles only poses a potential risk to the small proportion of consumers who are allergic to milk or lupin

We apologise to any regular consumers of McVitie’s Toasting Waffles who have purchased or consumed the product without noticing the change to the ingredient listing and for any concern this may have caused.”

The Food Standards Agency advises that if food manufacturers choose to change their ingredients, it would be good practice to indicate this on the front of the packaging, such as stating that the item has a ‘new recipe’ for example, to alert allergic consumers of the changes.