Caterers and bartenders have been warned to check at least two products that could contain the illegal dye Sudan 1, which has been linked to causing cancer.
The urgent warning was issued by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) today after a batch of contaminated chilli powder was used by Premier Foods to manufacture some Worcester Sauce.
A FSA spokeswoman said: "We are advising caterers to check their Worcester Sauce to see whether it was purchased from Premier Foods. If it was, they should contact the manufacturer."
The Worcester Sauce was subsequently used as an ingredient in at least 359 other products, including Schweppes Tomato Juice, which is widely used as a cocktail mixer in bars.
The FSA is advising chefs, caterers and bar owners to check the FSA's website for a full list of the affected products. For details go to www.food.gov.uk/sudanlist.
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