SHOPKEEPERS are being told to sweep their shelves and remove from sale any products affected by the Sudan 1 food scare.

At the time Citizen went to press, the Food Standards Agency list of affected products had hit 419 items - including soups, sauces, ready meals, pate, crisps, relishes, salad dressings, pizzas and gravy granules.

And now Lancaster City Council's Environmental Health Service is requesting all caterers and small retailers to check that all affected products are off sale.

Officers say that the majority of catering establishments contacted to date were either unaware of the scare or thought it did not apply to them.

The council received a food alert from the FSA on Monday requesting local authorities to assist in the trade withdrawal.

"We are endeavouring to contact almost 1,000 premises either by telephone or mail shot," says a council spokesman.

"Caterers and smaller retailers that find they have affected products should remove them from sale immediately and contact the supplier."

A full list of affected products, which is being updated regularly, can be viewed on the Food Standards Agency website at www.food.gov.uk and the city council is now urging food proprietors to cross check against the list on a daily basis.

For anyone without Internet access, a paper copy of the list will be available to view at the reception area at Lancaster and Morecambe Town Halls.

Anyone with further queries should contact the food team on 01524-582396.