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Food safety lawyer welcomes recalls and urges thorough investigation into Listeria outbreak

Dozens of frozen vegetable products have been recalled over fears of listeria outbreak

Posted on 10 July 2018

Frozen food supplier, Greenyard Frozen UK Ltd, has issued nearly 50 voluntary recall notices amidst concerns of a listeria outbreak which is reported to have caused the deaths of nine people, including two in the UK, and left many more ill.

The products, which could be found in Aldi, Iceland, Lidl, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose, are all frozen vegetable products, including packets of sweetcorn and mixed vegetables, and it is believed they could contain Listeria monocytogenes, which can cause listeriosis.

The Food Standards Agency issued the recalls and said in its recall notice that “symptoms caused by this organism can be similar to flu and include high temperature, muscle ache or pain, chills, feeling or being sick and diarrhoea”.

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 list of products recalled can be found on the Food Standards Agency website and in most cases can be returned for a full refund.

Dr Kathie Grant, of Public Health England, said “The best way to prevent listeriosis is to practise good food hygiene. Along with the FSA, FSS and HPS, we are reminding people that most frozen vegetables, including sweetcorn, need to be cooked before eating. This includes if adding them to salads, smoothies or dips”.

Michelle Victor, a solicitor in the consumer law and product safety team at Leigh Day, commented:

“I welcome the large scale recalled issued by the supplier and the supermarkets, but a thorough investigation must take place as to how such a large scale outbreak was allowed to occur. Consumers should be able to place trust in the food and ingredients they purchase.

“We have represented a number of people who have suffered major illnesses as a result of consuming food which was not fit for sale and the effects can be life changing for many people.”