The FSA (Food Standards Agency) added 145 items to the list of infected products. Today it counts 575, but industry experts say the list will continue to grow.

The UK Food Standards Agency on February 18 declared its anxiety concerning the fact that Sudan 1 had been found in the Crosse & Blackwell Worcestershire sauce.

The FSA released a renewed list of infected products that include ready meals and sauces sold in Safeway, the Co-op and Asda, and a large number of catering sauces, salad dressings and ready meals.

David Statham, Director of Enforcement at the Food Standards Agency, admitted that some affected products may remain on market shelves and some of them could have been used for schools and hospitals.

"This has been an enormous undertaking. Hundreds of products have been affected in thousands of shops," he said. "The vast majority of contaminated foods has now been removed and that provides some reassurance to consumers. However, there may be some products remaining both in shops and in the catering sector and we will continue to work with local authorities to remove them as far as is practical and achievable.”

“The risk to health is very small, and it is sensible not to eat these foods, but there can be no doubt that consumers should not have been exposed to these contaminated products”, he added.

Premier Foods announced that Branston 310g Hot and Spicy Sweet Pickle and 250g Rich and Fruity Sauce had been found to contain the Sudan1 dye.

Some of the affected products are believed to have been exported to the United States and Canada.