GWENT traders are being asked to check their stock carefully after the nationwide food scare over the food dye Sudan 1.

Caerphilly council says that, despite widespread publicity, a few products that have been affected by the dye have still been discovered in stores in the area.

Trading standard and environmental health officers have sent out a mailshot to all traders likely to have the products in stock, including a list of all affected items.

Officers are also visiting 130 premises considered to be high risk - including grocers, supermarkets, caterers, pubs, and garage shops.

So far 100 have been visited and trading standards officers from across the county are also monitoring the situation.

Now the officers are urging traders to check the lists they have been sent carefully, to see if they still have any of the affected products.

Sudan dyes, associated with an increased cancer risk, have been banned as ingredients in food since 1995.

Contamination of hundreds of products came from the use of Worcester sauce, made by Premier Foods, as a flavouring ingredient. The sauce contained chilli powder contaminated with Sudan 1 dye.

Ken Long, senior trading standards officer for Caerphilly council, said they were not considering prosecutions for anyone found to still have the products in stock at this stage.

He said it was mostly snack items such as Pot Noodles that were being found by officers.

All affected products were immediately rec-alled. Officers have also overseen the physical destruction of affected batches.

Councillor Paul Ford, cabinet member for the environment, said: "We as an authority are concerned to ensure the safety of foodstuffs available in the area, and also to maintain the standard of products manufactured in Caerphilly borough.

"Fortunately our local manufacturers have in place the systems to deal with such food safety incidents responsibly.

"We would emphasise that local retailers who have received a mail shot list of products, take all steps necessary to remove them from sale."

You can find the list of products at www. food.gov.uk or call trading standards service on 01495 235291.