Tesco Drink Recalled Over 'Disgusting Smell'

Tesco (Xetra: 852647 - news) has recalled one of its own-brand squash drinks after customers complained of a "disgusting smell" and some children were reportedly left vomiting.

Some parents have raised the possibility that it could have caused their children's upset stomachs.

The supermarket said it had withdrawn the Tesco No Added Sugar Double Concentrate Apple and Blackcurrant 750ml and 1.5-litre products.

A flavour additive was added in error to the squash, but Tesco said it posed no food safety risk.

A post on the PlayPennies website which had alerted users to the recall led to a flurry of replies from those who said they had opened the squash and noticed an unusual odour.

Others reported their children had been physically sick after drinking it.

One poster wrote: "I bought 2 bottles of this squash over a week to a fortnight ago.

"We opened one and it smelt absolutely disgusting ... the only way to describe the smell was that it had been mixed with used toilet water..."

Clairedavies85 said: "Had this other day. The smell was horrendous but drank it anyway as I thought they just changed it.

"Since then both my daughter and partner have had bad bellies."

MrsD32 posted: "We finished a bottle of this yesterday and opened a new one last night.

"My eldest 2 children are off school today, one with diarrhoea and the other was sick all night. I hope this is a coincidence Tesco but it's not looking very likely!"

Swilly26 wrote: "I gave this to my son on Sunday then Sunday night he was sick. He's had some more today and been sick again..."

A message on the Tesco website said: "Sorry, this product is currently not available."

A Tesco spokeswoman said: "We have investigated with our supplier complaints about Tesco No Added Sugar Double Concentrate Apple and Blackcurrant 750ml and 1.5l.

"A flavour additive, which is not part of the ingredients for this product, has been added in error. The additive is called Dimethyl Disulphide and is a common ingredient in food products.

"It is an approved additive and poses no food safety risk. However, it does have a strong odour, similar to garlic, which customers are likely to find unpleasant.

"Only products bought since the New Year may be affected, they will have a best-before date of October 2015.

"Any customers can return this product, open or unopened, to any Tesco store."

It is the latest in a string of problems for the company, including falling sales and a £263m profits overstatement.

Tesco announced last month it would close 43 stores as it moved to save costs, and has now revealed the locations , placing 2,000 jobs at risk.