Tesco urgently recalls 'melt in the middle' meat-free burgers as product might burn customers when they bite into it

The Food Standards Agency have found that the Plant Chef 2 Meat-Free Burgers with Melting Middles 'may maintain a high temperature once cooked' and could 'burn customers'. Customers are urged not to eat the burgers and to return them to any Tesco store for a full refund. No receipt is required.

The recall was issued on Friday (16 August). The recall states: “Tesco are taking the precautionary step of recalling Tesco Plant Chef 2 Meat-Free Burgers with Melting Middle because the centre of the burgers may maintain a high temperature once cooked. The melting middle could potentially cause a burn risk to consumers when biting into the burger.”

A vegan blog shared a photo of the burgers on Facebook in June and people were quick to comment online that the middles were like eating “lava”. One person said on Reddit: “I did almost burn my mouth on them. Inside was molten lava.”

Tesco has described the burger, made from Java bean and pea protein, as “succulent and tangy”. Its melting middle is made of mustard and gherkins.

The recall comes after the supermarket was one of several forced to recall sandwiches and wraps in June because of an E.coli risk. Tesco said at the time it was just a precautionary measure.