Tesco has issued an urgent UK‑wide recall of its Tesco 6 Aubergine Katsu Bao Buns after discovering the product may contain milk that is not declared on the label, posing a potentially serious risk to people with dairy allergies or intolerances and to those avoiding animal products. [1]
The recall, confirmed by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and highlighted across national and regional media on 8–9 December 2025, affects all 258g packs with use‑by dates up to and including 13 December 2025. [2]
What exactly has Tesco recalled?
According to the FSA’s official Allergy Alert (FSA‑AA‑76‑2025), the affected product is: [3]
- Product name: Tesco 6 Aubergine Katsu Bao Buns
- Pack size: 258g
- Use‑by dates: All dates up to and including 13 December 2025
- Allergen involved:Milk (undeclared on the label)
The buns are part of Tesco’s festive party food range, marketed as a convenient option for sharing platters and Christmas gatherings. Reporting in The Independent and other outlets stresses that shoppers are being urged “do not eat” the product if they have any allergy or intolerance to milk or milk constituents. [4]
Tesco has removed the bao buns from sale and listed them as out of stock on its website while the recall is in force. [5]
Why undeclared milk is a serious food safety issue
Milk is one of the 14 major allergens that must be clearly highlighted on food labels under UK law. When milk appears in a product but is not declared, the risk is not about food quality – it is about safety.
For people with a milk allergy or severe intolerance, even small amounts can trigger reactions that may include:
- Hives, rashes or itching
- Swelling of the lips, face, tongue or throat
- Wheezing, breathing difficulties or chest tightness
- In the most serious cases, anaphylaxis, which can be life‑threatening without rapid treatment
Regulators such as the FSA and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) underline that incorrect or missing allergen information is one of the key reasons food is recalled, alongside contamination with pathogens (like salmonella or listeria) or foreign bodies such as metal or plastic. [6]
In this case, the official FSA notice is clear: because milk is present but not mentioned, the bao buns represent “a possible health risk for anyone with an allergy or intolerance to milk or milk constituents.” [7]
Who is most at risk?
The recall is primarily aimed at:
- People with a diagnosed milk allergy or lactose intolerance
- Parents and carers buying party food for children with allergies
- Vegans and dairy‑free shoppers, who may have chosen the aubergine‑based bao buns assuming they were free from animal‑derived ingredients
Industry coverage notes that the presence of milk also makes the product unsuitable for vegan consumers, especially those who may have relied on the plant‑forward branding and ingredient list. [8]
Importantly, the FSA alert and Tesco’s recall notices do not report any linked allergic reactions or hospitalisations; they frame this as a precautionary safety step once the labelling issue was identified. [9]
What Tesco and regulators are telling customers
Both Tesco and the FSA have issued very direct advice.
From the FSA’s Allergy Alert and Tesco’s customer notices: [10]
- Do not eat the product if you have an allergy or intolerance to milk.
- Return it to any Tesco store for a full refund.
- No receipt is required.
- Tesco says no other products are affected by this specific recall and has apologised for the inconvenience.
Media coverage – including The Independent, Yahoo News and tabloid outlets – amplifies the same “do not eat” message and emphasises that the recall applies UK‑wide to all affected date codes. [11]
Allergy support organisations have also been contacted so they can warn their members, a standard step in UK Allergy Alerts. [12]
How this Tesco recall fits into a wider wave of allergy alerts
The aubergine katsu bao buns recall is not an isolated incident. It follows several recent UK alerts where mislabelled allergens forced retailers to pull products off shelves:
- Tesco Celery, Fruit and Nut Salad (300g, use‑by 2 December 2025) – recalled in late November because the mayonnaise contained mustard that was not declared on the label, posing a risk to anyone with a mustard allergy. [13]
- Calbee Hot & Spicy Chips and Calbee Pizza Chips – recalled after the FSA found mustard (Hot & Spicy Chips) and celery (Pizza Chips) were present but unlisted, with best‑before dates stretching into April and June 2026. [14]
- Aldi Dairyfine Salted Caramel Filled Gonks – a Christmas chocolate treat recalled across Great Britain and Ireland due to undeclared peanuts, again representing a “possible health risk” for those with peanut allergies. [15]
In each case, shoppers were told not to eat the affected products and to return them for a refund, mirroring the guidance now issued for Tesco’s Aubergine Katsu Bao Buns.
A pattern of allergen‑driven recalls
Regulatory and industry data show that undeclared allergens are consistently the leading cause of food recalls:
- An FSA board paper on incidents in 2024/25 reports a 55% increase in Allergy Alerts in one recent period, driven in part by high‑profile contamination incidents. [16]
- The FSA’s Our Food 2023 review shows that while the total number of Allergy Alerts fell in 2023 compared with earlier years, undeclared milk remained the single most common reason for issuing an alert. [17]
- Trade analysis from FoodManufacture notes that nearly 150 UK recalls were announced between January and June 2025, with allergen errors the most frequent cause. Prepared dishes topped the list of affected categories, with snacks and nuts close behind. [18]
A separate recall trends report from risk consultancy RQA Group forecasts that UK FSA alerts overall are on track to rise in 2025, likely returning to levels last seen in 2017, and again highlights labelling errors involving allergens as the top driver of incidents in the food sector. [19]
Taken together, Tesco’s bao bun recall is part of a broader upward trend in allergen‑related alerts – especially in prepared, multi‑component foods such as salads, ready meals, snacks and party platters.
Why party food and plant‑based dishes are particularly vulnerable
The Aubergine Katsu Bao Buns sit at the intersection of two high‑risk areas for labelling mistakes:
- Complex, multi‑component recipes
- The buns combine bread dough, breadcrumbed aubergine, sauces and seasonings.
- Each component may be made by different suppliers, increasing the chance that allergen information is lost or mis‑communicated along the supply chain.
- Plant‑forward or “veggie” products
- The product relies on aubergine and vegetables, and is marketed as a meat‑free katsu bun, appealing strongly to vegetarians, vegans and dairy‑free shoppers. [20]
- If milk appears unexpectedly in a recipe consumers assume is dairy‑free, the scope for serious reactions widens, because people with allergies may not be on high alert when they pick up the product.
New Food Magazine points out that the incident lands amid a wider debate on labelling for vegan and plant‑based foods, with a cross‑party group of UK MPs – supported by Sir Paul McCartney – recently warning that restricting traditional terms like “burger” or “sausage” for plant‑based products could confuse consumers rather than protect them. [21]
In that context, mislabelled allergens in a plant‑leaning product like aubergine katsu bao buns risk undermining consumer confidence just as demand for alternative proteins and flexitarian options is surging.
What should shoppers do right now?
If you think you may have bought the affected bao buns, here’s what current official guidance and retailer statements advise: [22]
- Check the product details
- Look for “Tesco 6 Aubergine Katsu Bao Buns” in a 258g pack.
- Check the use‑by date: if it is up to and including 13 December 2025, your pack is part of the recall.
- If you have a milk allergy or intolerance (or are buying for someone who does):
- Do not eat the bao buns, even a small amount.
- If already consumed and you experience symptoms of an allergic reaction (such as hives, swelling or breathing difficulties), seek medical advice urgently.
- Return the product
- Take any affected pack back to any Tesco store.
- You will receive a full refund, and no receipt is required.
- Keep an eye on further alerts
- You can sign up for FSA and Food Standards Scotland recall alerts by email or follow them on social media to get future warnings about allergens, contamination or other safety issues. [23]
Forecast: what this recall signals for the rest of 2025
With Christmas just weeks away, food safety specialists expect more, not fewer, allergy‑related alerts:
- Regulators are watching closely. FSA and FSS data show that allergen alerts, while lower in 2023 than in some previous years, remain a major concern – and 2025 is already trending upwards. [24]
- Industry analysts predict 2025 recall numbers will rise. RQA Group’s mid‑year report suggests UK alerts could match 2017 levels, with allergens and labelling errors leading the way. [25]
- Prepared dishes and snacks are especially exposed. As FoodManufacture’s analysis notes, prepared meals and snack products are currently the categories most affected by recalls, and that trend is unlikely to reverse quickly. [26]
For supermarkets, that means continued pressure to tighten allergen controls, particularly where:
- Several suppliers are involved in a single product
- Recipes are tweaked quickly for seasonal ranges
- Plant‑based or “free‑from” cues may give allergy consumers a false sense of security if labels are wrong
For consumers, especially those managing severe allergies, the realistic outlook for the rest of 2025 is that vigilance will remain essential – even with major brands and retailers.
Practical tips for allergy‑aware shopping this festive season
While no system can eliminate all risks, allergy charities and food‑safety agencies consistently recommend a few simple habits to reduce them: [27]
- Read labels every time – even on products you buy regularly, as recipes and suppliers can change.
- Look for bold allergen text – UK law requires the 14 major allergens, including milk, mustard, peanuts and celery, to be clearly highlighted in the ingredients list.
- Be extra cautious with seasonal or “limited edition” items, which are more prone to last‑minute recipe changes and rushed packaging runs.
- Sign up for recall alerts from the FSA or Food Standards Scotland, or via allergy‑support organisations.
- If you’re hosting guests with allergies, keep packaging to hand, avoid decanting foods into unlabelled dishes, and consider a few clearly labelled “safe plates” that haven’t been near shared serving spoons.
Bottom line
As of 9 December 2025, the Tesco 6 Aubergine Katsu Bao Buns recall is a live Allergy Alert covering all 258g packs with use‑by dates up to and including 13 December 2025, due to undeclared milk. [28]
There is no suggestion of wider contamination or issues with other Tesco products, but the incident reinforces a clear message: in a year where allergen‑driven recalls are climbing, shoppers — and especially allergy‑affected families — should treat label checks and recall alerts as essential parts of the weekly shop, not optional extras.
References
1. www.food.gov.uk, 2. www.food.gov.uk, 3. www.food.gov.uk, 4. www.independent.co.uk, 5. www.the-independent.com, 6. www.foodstandards.gov.scot, 7. www.food.gov.uk, 8. www.newfoodmagazine.com, 9. www.food.gov.uk, 10. www.food.gov.uk, 11. www.independent.co.uk, 12. www.food.gov.uk, 13. www.food.gov.uk, 14. www.food.gov.uk, 15. www.food.gov.uk, 16. www.food.gov.uk, 17. www.food.gov.uk, 18. www.foodmanufacture.co.uk, 19. www.rqa-group.com, 20. www.newfoodmagazine.com, 21. www.newfoodmagazine.com, 22. www.food.gov.uk, 23. www.foodstandards.gov.scot, 24. www.food.gov.uk, 25. www.rqa-group.com, 26. www.foodmanufacture.co.uk, 27. www.foodstandards.gov.scot, 28. www.food.gov.uk
