2 days ago
Further batches of spinach recalled over listeria
Batches of two further spinach products sold in Irish supermarkets have been recalled due to the detection of listeria monocytogenes.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has issued alerts for two further products, one by McCormack Family Farms and another by Fresh Choice.
The following batches of 500g McCormack Family Farms Irish Spinach Leaves have been recalled: L199, L200, L202, L203, L204 and L205.
While Fresh Choice Market Spinach Leaves 100g with the following use-by dates have also been recalled: 25/07/2025, 26/07/2025, 27/07/2025, 28/07/2025, 29/07/2025, 30/07/2025 and 31/07/2025.
The FSAI has requested that retailers remove the implicated products from sale, and display recall notices at point-of-sale.
Wholesalers and distributors are being asked to contact their affected customers and recall the affected products and put a recall notice in place.
Caterers who may be in possession of the impacted products have been asked not to use them, while consumers are advised not to eat them.
The FSAI has said there is currently "no evidence that this food recall is linked with the listeriosis outbreak related to ready-to-heat meals that is currently under investigation".
Over 200 ready-made meals produced by Ballymaguire Foods were called back early last week.
The authority said that one person with a confirmed case of listeria died, while nine other cases were identified as of Tuesday last week.
The FSAI's latest update follows a recall yesterday of seven spinach and mixed leaves products following detection of harmful bacteria Listeria monocytogenes.
The FSAI said that symptoms of listeria can include mild flu-like symptoms such as gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Symptoms can be more severe in rare cases, it added.
"Some people are more vulnerable to listeria monocytogenes infections, including pregnant women, babies, and people with weakened immune systems, including the elderly.
"The incubation period (time between initial infection and first symptoms appearing) is on average three weeks but can range between 3 and 70 days," said the FSAI.
The FSAI said today that to date, there are no cases of listeriosis associated with the spinach and mixed leaves products that were subject of yesterday's recall.
How inspections are carried out
The FSAI and official agencies carry out inspections of food production facilities and review all the control measures in place.
This includes examining the testing regimes for listeria at the factory and also taking official control samples of food and equipment.
These official control samples are tested for listeria monocytogenes in accredited laboratories run by the State.
Where listeria monocytogenes is found in any official control samples, enforcement action is taken to minimise or eliminate the risk to consumers.
"Precautionary recalls of food due to Listeria monocytogenes can be found by either the food business itself or the authorities and happen from time to time, reflecting the high level of awareness, control and testing that takes place in factory settings," the FSAI said.
