Now WAITROSE recalls artisan cheese feared to be contaminated with E. coli after outbreak sickened 30 Brits

One type of cheese sold at Waitrose has been urgently recalled amid fears it could be contaminated with E. coli.

Safety chiefs have urged the public not to eat the artisan's number 1 Kirkham's Lancashire product, made with raw cow's milk.

It comes as 30 Britons have been sickened by an E. coli outbreak linked to the Kirkham family's dairy.

The manufacturer, based in a village just outside Preston, has since recalled all its products as a precaution.

Some may have been unknowingly gifted with festive packages, officials say.

Most E. coli strains are harmless, but the type behind the current outbreak can cause diarrhea, vomiting, fever and stomach cramps.

In extremely severe cases, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (as is known) can lead to kidney failure.

The Waitrose recall only affects the No. 1 Farmhouse Kirkham's Lancashire Cheese, sold in 200g packs for £4.60.

All affected items have an expiration date between October 30, 2023 and January 16, 2024.

Waitrose stressed this was a 'precautionary measure' and urged consumers to 'thoroughly clean all surfaces, utensils and equipment that the cheese may have touched'.

Customers are urged to take a photo of the packaging or receipt to get their money back, and to throw the cheese away.

The supermarket said: 'We apologize that it has been necessary to recall this product and for any inconvenience this has caused.'

The warning comes after four varieties of Mrs Kirkham's Lancashire cheese were also urgently recalled and issued with a 'do not eat' warning due to contamination fears.

The joint warning from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) applied to the Creamy Lancashire, Lekker Lancashire, Mature Lancashire and Smoked Lancashire variants.

Bosses at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) revealed yesterday that 30 confirmed cases have been recorded in this outbreak.

They all tested positive for a specific strain called 0145, which was feared to lurk in the cheese.

STEC, or Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, is spread by eating contaminated food, such as raw leafy vegetables or undercooked meat.

The highly contagious bacteria can also be spread by touching infected animals or their feces and coming into contact with other people who are sick.

UKHSA chiefs said people should take extra care to avoid infection and, if they are struck by the bug, passing it on to others.

Amy Douglas, UKHSA's incident director for gastrointestinal infections and food safety, said: 'There are at least 30 confirmed cases of this particular outbreak of STEC in Britain.

'If you have diarrhea and vomiting, you can take steps to avoid passing it on to family and friends during the holidays.

'Washing your hands with soap and warm water and using bleach-based products to clean surfaces can help prevent the spread of infection. Do not prepare food for others if you have symptoms or for 48 hours after the symptoms have disappeared.'

Ms Kirkham's said: 'Although no testing has currently been carried out on our products by the FSA to confirm any suspected risks, we feel it is our duty to recall our products.

'We are working very closely with our local Environmental Health Officers and the Food Standards Agency to fully understand the situation and whether our products are being sourced appropriately.

'This recall involves new testing techniques designed to better identify potentially dangerous strains of Shiga toxin-producing E.coli.

“Unfortunately, these new testing techniques are not currently the industry standard. As a result, despite rigorous and thorough testing throughout our manufacturing processes, the potential risk to product safety was not previously identified.”

The statement also said that the company had been left in limbo as many labs were currently closed for the holidays.

“We will suspend all orders until the investigation is complete and we have answers.”