Fresh listeria fears as dozens of artisan cheese varieties are pulled from shelves
Dozens of artisanal cheeses have been urgently recalled over fears they could be contaminated with listeria.
Food safety watchdogs have issued a warning about the potential risk of 26 products from The Cambridge Food Company with expiration dates through April 14, 2023.
Cheddar, Stilton and Wensleydale are among the varieties sold by the Wiltshire brand to 15 retailers across England, including London, Leicester and York.
The recall is a “precautionary measure” due to concerns that these cheeses were cross-contaminated with other products found to contain the bacteria.
It comes after health chiefs announced last week that a Briton had died of listeria in an outbreak linked to contaminated cheeses.
Food safety watchdogs have issued a warning about the potential risk of a batch of cheese from The Cambridge Food Company with an expiration date of April 14
Those who eat foods containing listeria develop an infection called listeriosis, which can cause fever, aches and pains, chills, nausea, nausea, and diarrhea
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) last night urged the public not to eat any of the 26 newly identified cheeses.
They include Pitchfork Cheddar, T&T Stilton, and Old Roan Wensleydale options, as well as The Cambridge Food Company’s Alpen, Appleby Red Cheshire, and Kirkhams Lancashire cheese.
The products are sold to wholesalers and retailers as 1kg wheels, but can then be cut into smaller pieces for sale to Britons in shops and delis.
Butchers Meat n16 in North London and Bridge 67 in Leicester are among those who bought the lots.
Britons who believe they have purchased the affected products are not allowed to eat them. They can contact The Cambridge Food Company for a full refund.
Those who brought the items have also been advised to isolate and pack the cheese securely for the company to collect.
They should also thoroughly clean any surfaces they may have touched to avoid cross-contamination of other foods.
Dr. Caroline Handford, head of incidents at the FSA, said: ‘The Cambridge Food Company Ltd (trading as Cheese +) has recalled several of its cheeses because they may contain Listeria monocytogenes.
“This is a voluntary recall due to potential on-site cross-contamination with previously recalled cheese products.
“This issue only affects products sold from the food companies listed in the recall notice.
“We welcome the company’s precautionary approach and advise consumers not to eat any of the products listed in the FSA warning.”
It comes after The Cambridge Food Company recalled three cheeses – The Old Cheese Room Baronet, Baby Baronet and Mini Baronet – last month after listeria was found in some batches of the products.
Earlier this week, Pennard Red Goats Cheese with an April 28 expiration date, made by Somerset Cheese Company, was recalled after it was found to contain listeria.
Listeria is a bacteria that poses a particular threat to the elderly, pregnant women and babies.
For most people, listeria poisoning can be similar to the flu and include a high temperature, muscle aches or pains, chills, and nausea or vomiting.
Usually the symptoms disappear after a few days.
However, some vulnerable groups may experience life-threatening complications such as sepsis and meningitis.
Listeria usually infects refrigerated, ready-to-eat foods such as prepackaged sandwiches, pâtés, and soft cheeses.
According to the most recent available data, a total of 124 cases of listeriosis were reported in England and Wales in 2020.
Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US estimates that about 1,600 people get listeriosis each year.
Last month, the FSA and the UK Health Security Agency said they had discovered three listeria cases “possibly linked to an outbreak” and one person had died.
Food safety watchdogs have now issued an urgent warning about the potential risk of certain Baronet semi-soft cheeses, some of which contain ‘exceptionally high levels’ of the bacteria
Food safety watchdogs have issued an urgent warning about the potential risk of a batch of Pennard Red Goats Cheese (pictured)
They gave no further details about the fatal accident.
All those infected had a closely genetically related strain of listeria that has also been found in samples of Baronet cheese.
However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone involved in the outbreak contracted listeriosis as a result of eating Baronet cheese.
Listeria has also been found in samples taken from “food environments,” they said.
However, it is unclear where these are and officials have insisted there is ‘no confirmation’ that Baronet is the cause of the outbreak.
Health chiefs are investigating the cause of the outbreak