BURY'S supermarkets and community stores have been clearing their shelves of banned products in the wake of the Sudan 1 alert.

Trading Standards and Environmental Health officers from Bury Council have been contacting food premises throughout the borough with up-to-date information on which foods are affected.

The massive recall, involving more than 400 products, was announced by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) after the discovery of the illegal food dye Sudan 1 in the chilli powder used in a consignment of Crosse and Blackwell Worcester sauce, made by Premier Foods.

Catering company, 3663 First for Foodservice, which has a depot in Bury, and delivers ingredients, finished products and equipment to schools and hospitals, has recalled all potentially contaminated items.

Fairfield Hospital in Bury has confirmed that the foods supplied to them have been unaffected.

The dye Sudan 1 - used for colouring solvents, oils, waxes, petrol, and shoe and floor polishes - can contribute to an increased risk of cancer, although the risk is likely to be very small.

Shoppers who have any of the affected foods at home are being advised not to eat them and contact the store they bought them from for a refund.

A spokesman for the Co-op supermarket in Ramsbottom, said: "We got the list quickly and took all the products off the shelves. We won't be reordering the products until the problem is sorted out."

A spokesman for Asda, with stores in Spring Street, Bury, Pilsworth and Radcliffe, said: "The problem was over and done with very quickly for us. Even though the amount in the foods would have been minimal at that kind of concentration, we removed all our own brand items that were on the list and reproduced them without Worcester sauce in them."

The recall of products is the biggest in British history and is estimated to be costing £100million.

A list of affected foods is provided at www.food.gov.uk/sudanlist and will be updated as further information becomes available. For more information email tradingstandards@bury.gov.uk, telephone 0161 253 5566 or call into Textile Hall, Manchester Road.