Lidl Ireland recalls hemp tea and oils due to concerns over high levels of THC

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has issued a recall notice for all Vita D’ or Bio-Organic Hemp Seed Oil and all Mogota Hemp Tea sold at Lidl with a best before of December 31st 2022.

Customers are being asked not to consume the products but bring them into the stores for a full refund.

Lidl has also warned about the recall in shops across Ireland. It has 160 stores across the republic with 40 in Northern Ireland. However, the message is not being shared across their social media.

The notice reads: “Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland are recalling the above two products ‘Vita D’or Hemp Oil’ and ‘Magota Hemp Tea’ as an increased level of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) was detected.”

“If you have purchased the above products, we advise you not to consume them. Instead, return the products to a Lidl store for a full refund, with or without a receipt.”

This is not the first recall of products in Ireland by the FSAI after tests showed they contained high levels of THC.

Image credit: FSAI

Lidl Germany

Earlier this month, Lidl recalled products across their German stores after a raid in a Bavarian store.

German police raided the Rosenheim branch of the Lidl over CBD cookies and other products including cannabis energy drinks and brownies.

The cookies, brownies and chocolate bars from the brand are available in other shops. They are made with cannabis seeds and leaves. The company also makes cookies, muffins and other products as also offer vodka made from cocaine leaves and absinthe.

Read the full story here

Reaction to Lidl raid

In a statement concerning the German Lidl raid, the EIHA said hemp seed oil is safe without any intoxicating effects.

Daniel Kruse, president of the European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA), stated: “Hemp seed oil is a safe and popular oil among consumers containing valuable omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. The review will show that this hemp seed oil is marketable and does not have any intoxicating effects. Moreover, it should be clarified that, when talking about THC, only a high intake of delta-9 THC can have intoxicating effects, while the so-called THCA, the THC acid, has no intoxicating effect at all.”

In Germany, there is currently no defined limit value for THC consumption from food.  The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) has given unnecessarily low guideline values for ready-to-eat products. Although the Lidl products are thought to have no THC or CBD in them.

The EIHA are advocating that the EU adopted a harmonised and scientifically-based approach on THC levels in food. They expect that by 2021, the European Commission will introduce binding limits for THC in food products including a 7.5 mg/kg total THC for hemp seed oil. This would bring it in line with the levels available in North America, Australia and other countries.

Read more: What’s the difference between hemp seed oil and CBD?