A Briton has died of listeria amid an outbreak linked to contaminated cheese, health chiefs announced today.
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.
Dozens of types have already been recalled over fears of being infected with the bug.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) today urged the public not to eat any of the affected products, all of which are made by Wiltshire-based company The Old Cheese Room.
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
Those who eat foods containing listeria develop an infection called listeriosis, which can cause fever, aches and pains, chills, nausea, nausea, and diarrhea
Baronet is a pasteurized semi-soft cheese with a pink-orange rind and a pungent smell.
It is sold in both small individual rounds and as 1kg wheels that can be shortened to order.
One recall is for the 1kg Baronet, priced at £32, with best before dates of March 21, April 11, April 12 and April 18, 2023.
The other two recalls are for the 270g Mini Baronet, which costs £9, and the 200g Baby Baronet.
The Mini Baronet is recalled for three batches: March 22, April 10 and April 18, 2023.
The Baby Baronet is recalled for batches, March 22, April 4, April 10, and April 16, 2023.
The cheeses are sometimes served sliced from a deli counter.
Britons who believe they may have purchased one of the affected Baronet items are urged not to eat it and to contact their retailer.
They should also thoroughly clean any surfaces they may have touched to avoid cross-contamination of other foods.
In today’s announcement, the FSA and UKHSA said they had discovered three listeria cases ‘possibly linked to an outbreak’ and one person had died.
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.
Those who eat foods containing listeria develop an infection called listeriosis, which can cause fever, aches and pains, chills, nausea, nausea, and diarrhea.
While the bug usually clears up on its own, it can be serious in some groups, including pregnant women, newborn babies, people over 65, people with weak immune systems, and people with diabetes.
These groups may need antibiotics to treat the infection.
Anyone unwell with symptoms of listeriosis is advised to report their illness to the municipality.
Tina Potter, head of incidents at the FSA, said: ‘Because of this outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes, we are urging consumers who are vulnerable to Listeria infection – including those who are pregnant and those with weakened immune systems – to ensure that they follow the advice in the product recall notices, which list all products that may pose a risk.
Food safety watchdogs have posted a ‘do not eat’ warning on The Old Cheese Room’s products
“We are also asking people to make sure that elderly relatives who may have purchased the recalled items and who are at increased risk are aware of the recall and are following the advice.
“Some foods have a greater risk of listeria than others. This includes soft cheeses, pâté, smoked fish, chilled meats and other chilled ready-to-eat products.’
According to the most recent available data, a total of 124 cases of listeriosis were reported in England and Wales in 2020.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about 1,600 people get listeriosis each year.
De Oude Kaaskamer called the move a ‘precautionary measure’.
It said, ‘Please do not use these products. Verify that you have purchased the relevant batch codes.
“Customers can contact us for a full refund (with or without receipt).”
The cheese maker said it has stopped making the cheese because it “seems like a wise decision not to make a decision until we find the source of the problem.”
It added: ‘As a responsible cheese maker, we regularly carry out cleaning, disinfection and swabs of our making and ripening rooms.
“We have now changed our monthly testing regimen to positive release, which means we test every batch of cheese before it leaves our premises.”