Spinach and mixed leaves products have been recalled in Northern Ireland as a precaution following the detection of listeria in the Republic of Ireland.
The affected products are produced by McCormack Family Farms, who supply to Lidl stores, Dunnes Stores and Musgrave Ltd in Northern Ireland.
Lidl had earlier confirmed it was recalling the producer’s spinach leaves from its 43 stores in Northern Ireland and 186 stores in the Republic of Ireland as a “precautionary measure”.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said it has been “working closely” with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) and local retailers to assess the distribution of these products in Northern Ireland.
‘Precautionary measure’
“As a precaution, a recall notice has been issued for retail products on the Northern Ireland market that may be affected,” said Philip Kennedy, head of food safety policy and delivery at the FSA.
“Implicated spinach has also been withdrawn from the catering sector.”
The watchdog has advised consumers who have purchased the products to not eat them and they can get a full refund if they return them to the store.
The FSAI previously said no cases of listeriosis have been associated with the spinach and mixed leaves and the recall is not connected to last week’s ready meals recall which was linked to one death and nine listeriosis cases.
The Irish watchdog said on Monday that if anyone has eaten any recalled foods and feels unwell, they “should seek medical advice”.
The FSAI also reassured consumers “there is a robust food control system in place in Ireland, which contributed to the identification of the latest need for a recall”.
Last Thursday, more than 100 ready meals were removed from supermarket shelves in what was described as a “full precautionary recall”.
The FSAI said at that time it was investigating an “extensive outbreak” of the bacterial infection.
Which products are the subject of the latest recall?
The spinach and mixed leaves products are branded under the McCormack Family Farms name as well as Tesco, Egan’s, SuperValu and Fresh Choice Market Spinach Leaves.
However, the Tesco and SuperValu products are not supplied to stores in Northern Ireland.
Retailers have been asked to remove the implicated products from sale and display recall notices at point-of-sale.
McCormack Family Farms have been approached for comment.
Last week, 141 ready-made products were recalled “due to a link with the outbreak”.
The various branded prepared meals and side dishes are produced by Ballymaguire Foods and are sold in many supermarkets in the country, including Tesco, Aldi, Centra and Supervalu.
In a statement, Ballymaguire Foods, which is based in Dublin, said it initiated a “full precautionary recall of all products produced at one of our facilities following the identification of listeria bacteria as part of a quality control check”.
The company apologised to customers.
What is listeria?
Symptoms of Listeria monocytogenes infection can include mild flu-like symptoms or gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea [Getty]
Listeria infection is an illness caused by bacteria that can spread through food.
Another name for the illness is listeriosis.
It can be very serious for pregnant women, people over the age of 65, and those with weakened immune systems.
Symptoms of Listeria monocytogenes infection can include mild flu-like symptoms or gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea.
In rare cases, the infection can become more severe, leading to serious complications.
The incubation period (the time between initial infection and the first appearance of symptoms) averages about three weeks, but can range from three to 70 days.