I've just received a reply from Rosewood, as follows...
Dear Jo,
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Thank you for letting us know of your concerns regarding your recent purchase of Fenugreek crunchies. I have checked our stock. We have actually sold all the batch in question (we have new stock approximately every 1-2 months). The oldest batch I can find in our warehouse is dated BBE 09/13 so would have been produced anything from 8-12 weeks after your ones you have.
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I have opened and checked some bags in this batch and they look and smell as they should (a savoury smell with a very slight hint of curry). *
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We’ve not received any other complaints, but I accept other people may have also had a similar reaction but simply chose not to contact us.
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We have sold the product for around 6 years and I know the producer has not changed the recipe (it is simply corn, ground and mixed with fenugreek then extruded and baked). I did come across a batch a few years ago with a slightly more ‘oily’ smell which you can also get from vegetable oils. I believe that this may be a problem in the processing more than anything else.
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I can also appreciate that a rabbit used to the usual smell of these crunchies may turn their nose up at this more oily odour that masks the aroma of the fenugreek.
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I cannot think how this might led to upset tummies, but appreciate as you say that the digestive system of a rabbit is delicate and so cannot rule this out. I apologise if the crunchies did upset your rabbits and I do hope they are now back to their usual selves?
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I have contacted the producer to trace the batch number just in case they can identify anything in the production which could have led to this ‘taint’ to the odour (and presumably the taste). I’ve also checked and the Hay Experts last ordered the Crunchies in November (but it was a very big order, 25% of a normal production). *So it’s most likely that the rest of this batch will have been cleared by most retailers. However I am contacting the hay experts today to check if they have any remaining stock.
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If you could let me know your address I’d like to send you 6 new packs to confirm the current batches are A1.
YAY!! Free crunchies!!