Food Safety Authority Issues Recall for Ready Brek and Tesco Porridge Over Flour Beetles
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland issued a Category 1 food alert on October 13, 2026, ordering the immediate withdrawal of specific batches of Ready Brek Original and Tesco Super Smooth Porridge due to contamination by flour beetles. Retailers across the country received instructions to pull the affected breakfast cereals from shelves immediately after regulators deemed the products unfit for human consumption.
Flour beetles, small pantry insects belonging to the Tribolium genus, measure roughly 3 to 4 millimeters in length with flat, elongated bodies and a shiny reddish-brown color. They rank among the most frequently encountered pests in stored dry goods like flour, rice, pasta, cereals, and spices.
Batch Numbers and Best-Before Dates for Affected Cereals
The recall impacts multiple sizes of Ready Brek Original alongside porridge from Tesco. Consumers who purchased these items must check the packaging details against official regulatory records before consuming them.
For Tesco Super Smooth Porridge, the 750g batches impacted include all products bearing best-before dates between 30/06/2027 and 25/08/2027, inclusive. Regulatory authorities recorded the enforcement action under FSAI Food Alert 2026.65.
Retailer Actions and Consumer Instructions
Store operators must display prominent recall notices at points of sale to alert customers who bought the impacted cereals. Regulatory guidance instructs shoppers who have these specific batches at home to avoid eating them entirely.
Supermarkets and independent retailers continue to clear inventories of the implicated stock.
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