MORRISONS has pulled a type of cheese off its shelves over fears it’s contaminated with a potentially deadly bacteria.
The bacteria can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that can cause “serious complications, such as meningitis”, according to an alert issued by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
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Listeriosis, a food-borne illness, could particularly prove deadly to people with weakened immune systems or the elderly.
The bacteria – listeria monocytogenes – was found in the soft Italian cheese The Best Taleggio.
Morrisons recalled it as a “precautionary action”, “because listeria monocytogenes has been found in the product”, the food safety watchdog said.
The FSA issued a “do not eat” warning to anyone who has bought the cheese.
Products included in the recall include 200g packs of The Best Taleggio cheese with a ‘use by’ date of April 14 2024.
The FSA warned that eating food contaminated with this kind of bacteria can cause symptoms “similar to flu and include high temperature, muscle ache or pain, chills, feeling or being sick and diarrhoea”.
“However, in rare cases, the infection can be more severe, causing serious complications, such as meningitis,” the FSA added.
“Some people are more vulnerable to listeria infections, including those over 65 years of age, pregnant women and their unborn babies, babies less than one month old and people with weakened immune systems.”
The FSA advised anyone who has purchased the cheese to return it to the store for a full refund.
“We don’t need a receipt,” a Morrisons product recall notice stated.
It added that no other products had been affected by this issue.
Throughout 2021, 160 cases of listeriosis were reported in England and Wales, according to recent data release by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
Twenty-two people passed away after suffering from the nasty illness.
Rates were highest among people aged 80 years and over, while a fifth of all infections occurred in pregnant mums.
There were three listeriosis outbreaks investigated in England and Wales in 2021, including a national outbreak associated with smoked fish.
More recently, listeria bacteria was spotted in chorizo sold at Sainsbury’s.
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How to avoid listeriosis
WHILE you can’t help it if supermarket food you buy is found to contain listeria monocytogenes, there are some things you can do to avoid it at home. These include:
- Keeping chilled, ready-to-eat foods cold (in the fridge at 5C or below)
- Consume ready-to-eat foods within four hours of taking them out of the fridge
- Eat, cook or freeze foods by their ‘use by’ date
- Follow storage instructions on food labels and use opened food within two days (unless the packaging says otherwise)
- Keep raw and ready-to-eat foods separate
- Follow any cooking instructions on packaging, and cook or reheat (including frozen vegetables) until they’re steaming hot right through
- Wash your hands regularly with soap and water
You should also avoid certain foods completely if you are pregnant or have a weakened immune system. These include:
- Ready-to-eat cold-smoked or cured fish products (e.g. smoked salmon or gravlax)
- Uncooked soft cheese (including brie and Camembert)
- Pâté
- Unpasteurised milk or dairy products
- Any under-cooked food
Source: NHS