Artisan cheese recalled due to possible presence of Listeria

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has issued a recall notice for cheese due to the possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes.

In a recent notice, the FSAI said that all cheeses produced or cut by O’Brien’s Farmhouse Cheese are being recalled.

All products of different batch codes and best before dates have been recalled. The products include: brie; cheddar; feta; gouda; and halloumi.

Consumers are advised not to eat the implicated cheeses. Retailers are requested to remove the implicated batches from sale and to display a point-of-sale recall notice in stores where the affected cheeses were sold. Caterers should not use the implicated cheeses.

The FSAI notes that the country of origin of the products is Ireland.

According to the FSAI, Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium which is ubiquitous in the environment.

It is a pathogenic bacterium which causes a group of diseases collectively known as listeriosis.

These can take the form of non-invasive and invasive listeriosis with symptoms including diarrhoea, fever, headache and myalgia (muscle pain).

In rare cases, the infection can be more severe, causing serious complications. Some people are more vulnerable to Listeria monocytogenes infections, including pregnant women, babies and people with weakened immune systems, including the elderly.

Withdrawal of Catering Packs of Knorr Curry Sauce

Last week, the FSAI issued a withdrawal notice for two batches of catering packs of Knorr Curry Sauce because they were incorrectly labelled with Spanish and Greek information.

The product, with a pack size of 2.25L, contains the allergen milk, which was not declared in English.

There is a risk that caterers might not declare the correct allergen information to their customers, potentially causing an allergic reaction or intolerance.

The implicated batches are L00770PM78 and L00780PM78; with a best before end date of March 2021.

Wholesalers/distributors are requested to contact their affected customers and withdraw the affected batches.

Caterers should contact their suppliers regarding disposal of the implicated batches. Any food already made with the implicated sauce must have milk correctly declared as an allergen at the point of sale.