SHOPPERS have been warned that sunflower oil could contain other ingredients not shown on the label as supplies run short.
Supermarkets have started rationing how many bottles of the household staple you can buy.
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Anyone buying sunflower oil is now being warned that it may contain other oils and these ingredients might not appear on food labels.
Ukraine and Russia make most of the world’s sunflower oil, but the ongoing war has disrupted production.
The price of the product has shot up and some supermarkets have imposed limits on how much you can buy.
Iceland told shoppers that they can only get one bottle and at Tesco the limit is three.
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The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has already warned shoppers to be cautious with products that may be labelled as containing sunflower oil when in fact they could contain rapeseed oil.
In a fresh update from the food safety authority, buyers have been advised sunflower oil may now contain other types of oil too.
Fully refined palm, coconut and soybean oil are being used in some products without a change to labels.
The risk to anyone with a food allergy is “very low” for palm and coconut oil, and “negligible” for soybean.
The organisation said it means that “allergic reactions to these fully refined vegetable oils are very rare and – if they do occur – are mild”.
Emily Miles, boss of the FSA, said: “”It is an absolute priority for us that food is safe, and what it says it is.
“If industry decisions are made around the substitutions of these oils, we expect accurate labels to be prepared and printed as soon as possible so that consumers can be confident in the food they buy.
“Any inaccuracies in labelling must only be temporary. We are working closely with industry to raise awareness among consumers of any potential changes to ingredients.
The FSA has advised consumers to contact the manufacturer or brand for more information if they are unsure of the content of any product or have concerns about substitution.
The FSA is encouraging companies to use “the healthier and more sustainable oils” if making substitutions.
Iceland has been forced to go back on a pledge not to use palm oil in its products because of the hit to sunflower oil supplies.
Palm oil production has been blamed for deforestation, climate change and the deaths of thousands of orangutans.
Sunflower oil is also a common ingredient in household favourites such as crisps and oven chips and popular recipes including Walkers have been changed because of the shortage.
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