Tesco Recalls Vegan Burgers Due To ‘Burn Risk’ From Melting Middle

UK supermarket Tesco has recalled one of its own-brand vegan burger products over concerns that it could pose a burn risk.

The Tesco Plant Chef 2 Meat-Free Burgers with Melting Middle feature a gherkin and mustard flavor center, which the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has warned “may maintain a high temperature once cooked.” This could potentially cause burns when the burger is bitten into.

A precautionary measure

Tesco Plant Chef meat-free burgers, which have been recalled over a "burn risk" — Adobe Stock The burgers are part of Tesco’s Plant Kitchen range

The burgers, which are made from fava bean and pea protein, had been a popular fixture at BBQs over the summer. According to the BBC, someone who had previously eaten them wrote on Facebook that they almost “burnt their mouth.” They added that the centers were “like lava.”

There have not been any reports of burns or injuries from the burgers, and the recall is just a precaution.

If you have bought the burger, you can take it back to a Tesco store for a full refund. You do not need to show a receipt.

Tesco stocks a number of other meat-free burgers in its Plant Chef range. It also stocks brands including Beyond Meat, THIS, Wicked Kitchen, and Green Cuisine.

Food products are recalled when a food safety issue is identified. Recalls sometimes occur because of possible contamination with bacteria like E.coli or salmonella. These sorts of recalls often happen with animal products. Earlier this year, more than 16,000 pounds of ground beef were recalled in the US over E.Coli contamination fears. A few days ago, an urgent recall of eggs was issued in Australia over salmonella concerns.