Häagen-Dazs has recalled mini cups of ice cream after it was tainted by a fumigant, the Ministry for Primary Industries says.

The ministry says in a food recall notice that only the vanilla flavour of the Häagen-Dazs 95ml mini cups that were sold in a four pack were recalled by importer General Mills, after low levels of ethylene oxide were found in the product.

Ethylene oxide was used as a fumigant for controlling post-harvest insects, moulds, and pathogens in a variety of foods, the notice says.

The use of ethylene oxide on foods was being phased out in New Zealand and in other countries. Due to the low concentration of the chemical, the acute food safety risk in this instance was low, the ministry says.

For risk to be a real health concern exposure to the fumigant needed to be continual, and over a long period of time.

Only packages with best before dates between July 4, 2022, and July 21, 2023, are being recalled and no other Haagen-Dazs flavours are affected in New Zealand.

However, General Mills recalled the Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream in 457ml containers in Australia only, citing the same reason in a Australian General Mills food recall notice.

The product was imported from France and sold in Pak 'n Save, New World, Four Square, and Gilmours stores throughout the North Island.

Customers are asked to check the date mark on the base of the individual mini cup or the side of the box.

Affected product should not be consumed and customers were asked to return the product to their retailer for a full refund.

-Stuff.