POPULAR Dubai-style chocolates have been ranked some of the least safe foods on the UK market.
The Food Standards Agency found that samples of the sweet treat contained undeclared allergens and toxins.
The sweet treats became a viral sensation in 2024 – but only one in 45 can be considered safe to consume Credit: Getty Images
Only one out of the 45 Dubai-style chocolates tested by the passed every test and labelling requirement, revealed the agency in their Retail Surveillance Study.
Labelling remained one of the biggest issues with the popular choclates, with many found to have incorrect or missing best-before dates, and allergens not clearly labelled or highlighted.
These undeclared allergens were largely and sesame based – presenting a severe risk for those with seed and nut allergies and intolerances.
As a result, the FSA even issued an urgent warning last December that were “dangerous” for those with allergies, and they should stay away from purchasing or consuming the products.
A large proportion of the dessert also contained elevated levels of aflatoxins and ochratoxin A – both of which are cancer-causing toxins produced by fungi.
Other issues included incomplete ingredient lists and missing UK importer details.
Rebecca Sudworth, director of policy at the FSA, said: “Our role is to make sure the food people buy is safe and what it says it is.
“Consumer safety is our biggest priority. When we found that the majority of Dubai-style products did not pass our stringent food safety checks, we took immediate action, alerting Local Authorities to work with businesses and industry groups to make sure the products they sell are safe and correctly labelled. “
A total of 845 food products were collected for the survey, with 800 samples examined.
The majority of the products tested were considered safe and authentic.
Dubai-style chocolates – a milk chocolate bar filled with crunchy knafeh and cream – became a viral sensation in 2024 after being popularised by TikTok.
The chocolate remains highly sought-after, with hundreds of iterations created including croissants, milkshakes, cookies and even pizza.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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