Sugar contamination - second recall after products sold mistakenly

Chelsea Sugar New Zealand is recalling raw and brown sugar because of low-level contamination. Photo / Supplied

Contaminated sugars have been recalled for the second time this month after they were found to have been sold by mistake.

Woolworths New Zealand, Countdown's parent company, announced it was recalling Chelsea and Countdown branded raw and brown sugars bought from stores in Wellington and the South Island.

The products were understood to be sold on either Thursday, November 25, or Friday, November 26, from any Countdown, SuperValue or FreshChoice store in the South Island and Wellington's Countdown Petone, Lower Hutt or Upper Hutt.

The low-level contaminated sugar stock was mistakenly dispatched from one of Countdown's distribution centres and was part of a recall issued this month.

Specific brands of product affected included:

• Chelsea brand Raw Sugar (500g, 1.2kg and 4kg) - lots 21271 through to 21303

• Chelsea Soft Brown Sugar (500g and 1kg) - lots 21280 through to 21293

• Woolworths (Countdown) brand Raw Sugar (500g and 1kg) - lots 21274 through to 21281

• Woolworths (Countdown) brand Brown Sugar (500g and 1kg) - lots 21278 through to 21302

Any customer who had bought these products during this timeframe should not eat it, and was urged to return the product to their nearest Countdown, SuperValue or FreshChoice store for a full refund.

Customers can call a toll free customer service number for more information: 0800 40 40 40. If you have any health concerns, please contact your doctor.

Earlier this month, confectionery brand RJ's recalled its licorice as it used the same brown and raw sugar contaminated. It said it was a precautionary measure and the immediate food safety risk was low if customers had really consumed it.