A prestigious chocolate firm that had royal warrants from the late Queen and the Queen Mother has had to remove products from shelves over a major health scare involving peanuts.
Prestat, based in Piccadilly, in London’s West End, was founded in 1902 by legendary master chocolatier Antoine Dufour, the inventor of the chocolate truffle.
Amongst the oldest and most exclusive of British chocolate brands, Prestat is a long-standing supplier to the Royal Household.
As well as the two queens, its fans have included Princess Diana, Sarah Bernhardt, Sir John Gielgud, Dame Peggy Ashcroft, Stephen Fry, Adrian Lester and Lord Mandelson.
Prestat chocolates have been a favourite of the royal household since the early 1900s – but four ‘collections’ of truffles and other types of treats are now being recalled due to contamination concerns.
Peanuts are among the most common cause of life-threatening anaphylaxis
Watchdog the Food Standard Agency said the firm has recalled four of its products – including chocolate boxes and truffles – because of fears they may have been contaminated with peanuts when not listed on the packaging.
People allergic to peanuts can suffer a potentially-fatal reaction.
Prestat’s chocolates are sold at Selfridges and other top stores, with some ‘collections’ in boxes having a price tag of almost £50.
The boxes recalled include batches of The Jewel Box, The London Collection, The London Collection Earl Grey Thins and The Festive House Earl Grey Truffles.
Multiple batches of The Jewel Box are affected, according to the FSA.
The FSA said: ‘Prestat is recalling chocolate products because they may contain peanuts which are not mentioned on the label, making them a possible health risk for anyone with an allergy to peanuts.’
People with a peanut allergy are being urged not to eat the products and to return them to the shop where they were purchased for a full refund.
