The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has issued a recall of Dale Meats cooked whole and sliced ham, sliced hazlett and sliced corned beef due to the presence of bacteria.

Consumers have been advised not to eat the implicated batches, and retailers are requested to remove the implicated batches from sale and display recall notices at point-of-sale.

Listeria monocytogenes was found in all batches of cooked whole ham, sliced ham, sliced hazlett and sliced corned beef with a use-by-date up to August 19, 2023, the FSAI said today (Tuesday, July 25).

Dale Meats cooked sliced ham. Source: FSAI
Dale Meats sliced corned beef. Source: FSAI
Dale Meats sliced hazlett. Source: FSAI

Symptoms of an infection with the bacteria can include mild flu-like symptoms, or gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.

However, in rare cases, the infection can be more severe, causing serious complications, according to the authority.

Pregnant women, babies, and people with weakened immune systems, including the elderly are more vulnerable to infections with the bacteria.

The FSAI said that, on average, it takes three weeks from the initial infection for first symptoms to appear, however the incubation period can range between three and 70 days.

FSAI

Last month, the authority served 12 enforcement orders on food businesses for breaches of national and EU food safety legislation.

One order was issued after “dozens of live cockroaches” were spotted moving around food preparation areas, on the walls, floors, fridges, and inside food storage containers.

Some of the other reasons for the enforcement orders in June included:

  • A history of rodent activity with droppings found near fruit juice intended for children;
  • Open, ready-to-eat foods such as fresh lettuce suspected as having come into contact with rodents, with a likely risk of Salmonella;
  • A failure to maintain the cold chain with insufficient fridge space to safely store high-risk foods such as cooked rice and pasta;
  • Rodent droppings noted in the service area and near food storage;
  • Risk of cross contamination with ready-to-eat food such as smoked salmon stored next to raw food such as chicken and pork chops; and
  • Inadequate ventilation throughout the premises, evident by the large build-up of mould on the walls, ceilings and external doors.

FSAI chief executive, Dr. Pamela Byrne said that any food business found to be failing its legal food safety and hygiene requirements will face the “rigours of the law”.

FOOD RECALL FSAI RETAILERS