AN ITALIAN tomato sauce containing a potentially cancer-causing chemical has been withdrawn from the shelves.

City of York Council Food and Safety Unit has warned residents of batches of the sauce containing chilli powder contaminated by a banned red chemical dye.

The involved batch are 290g jars of Multi SPA brand of Sugo Piu Al Peperoncino sauce with a best-before date of 31.12.04. No other Multi SPA products are known to be affected.

The dye is not a permitted colour and is not allowed for any food use.

The sauce is in a clear glass jar with green screw top cap, the label is on the bottom half of the jar bearing the name, sauce description and a tomato surrounded by chilli peppers.

Stuart Benson, council acting food and safety manager unit manager, said: "There has been a trade withdrawal of the product, which is thought to have been effective, and it is unlikely that any affected product remains on sale. However we would advise anyone who has bought this product already to return it to the shop they bought it from for a refund or just throw it away."

Caution is advised, but there is no immediate threat of illness and most risk would be for people eating contaminated products over a long period.

Updated: 10:56 Tuesday, October 28, 2003