A brand had to recall its vegan yogurt

A company that sells vegan coconut milk products had to recall its items from the market after they were found to contain dairy products.

CO YO, endorsed by Nigella Lawson and Ella Woodward, had to withdraw all flavours of its dairy-free coconut milk yoghurt because all milk ingredients were not declared.

The company announced that it had indeed found traces of cow's milk during product testing.

The coconut-based foods contained a small amount of dairy products – which could be dangerous for people with lactose intolerance.

CO YO said it was “devastated” that its yoghurts were not actually vegan.

In a statement, the company said: “Recent product testing has found a small amount of dairy in our CO YO yoghurts.

“This is shocking, especially because dairy-free is at the heart of everything we do and we have always placed great importance on offering our customers high-quality, dairy-free products made in our own dairy-free factory.”

The Food Standards Agency has sent a warning to consumers, asking them to return the product as it may pose a risk to allergy sufferers.

CO YO blamed the third-party provider for the error.

The company said: “We have also terminated our relationship with the third-party vendor to ensure this never happens again.”

“If you own a COYO product with a best before date before Friday 16 March, please contact the store where you purchased it for a full refund. If you have any concerns about any of our products, please do not hesitate to contact us. We would like to once again apologize to all of our customers for any concerns this may have caused.”

The company also confirmed that it is working with the Food Standards Agency “to ensure that all potentially non-dairy materials are removed from store shelves.”

A spokesman for the Food Standards Agency said: “These products contain milk and therefore pose a potential health risk to people with an allergy or intolerance to milk or milk ingredients.”

“CO YO is recalling the above products from customers and has contacted the relevant allergy support organizations, who will inform their members of the recall.

“The company has also sent a sales notice to its customers. These notices explain to customers why the products are being recalled and tell them what to do if they have purchased the products.

“If you have purchased any of the above products and have an allergy or intolerance to milk or milk ingredients, do not eat it. Instead, return it to the store where you purchased it and you will receive a full refund.”

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