At least 40 different types of sandwiches, wraps and salads from supermarkets have been removed from shelves as the watchdog warns not to eat them if they have already been bought.
The products were sold by a range of high street stores such as Asda, Boots, Morrisons, Co-op, Tesco, OneStop and Aldi.
There have been 211 suspected cases of food poisoning so far, although experts fear this number will rise.
‘Do Not Eat’ warnings have been issued for products from Greencore, which produces 1.7 million sandwiches every day, making it the largest manufacturer in the world.
A separate warning was also issued for sandwiches made by Samworth Brothers Manton Wood.
It is feared that some batches sold in ten different stores may be contaminated with E.coli, including Asda, Amazon, Boots, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Co-op, Tesco, OneStop, Aldi and The Gym Kitchen.
The bug – which can be fatal – usually causes fever, illness and diarrhea. The symptoms usually disappear naturally within a few days.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has said the recall was a ‘precautionary measure’.
Aldi’s Chicken Fajita Triple Wrap, Asda’s Smoky Beans and Cheddar Cheese Wrap and Boots’ Vegan No Duck & Hoisin Wrap are among the affected products.
Others include Sainsbury’s Greek Style Wrap and Peri Peri Chicken Wrap and Amazon’s Prawn Layered Salad.
It is believed that they contain a certain variety of lettuce leaves. The warning affects date codes on products through June 14, 15 and 16.
Click here to change the format of this module
Point of sale notices, explaining to customers why the product is being recalled, will also be displayed in all stores selling the product, the FSA said.
It added: ‘If you have purchased any of the above products, do not eat it.
“Instead, return it to the store where it was purchased for a full refund.”
The Greencore Group also said: ‘As a precaution, we have voluntarily recalled a number of sandwiches and wraps due to a potential risk to food safety.
‘Greencore adheres to the highest standards of food safety and we work closely with the FSA and our suppliers to better understand the possible cause of any potential problem.’
A spokesperson for Samworth Brothers Manton Wood said: ‘The FSA has advised the supplier of a salad ingredient that we use in a small number of products to withdraw and recall a product.
‘In the meantime, food chain studies are being carried out, from which no conclusions have yet been drawn.
‘A small number of sandwich and wrap lines made at our Manton Wood site are being recalled as a precautionary measure to ensure a high level of health protection for consumers.
“No other Manton Wood products are affected.”
It comes as more than 200 Britons are now known to have been affected in recent weeks by Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC), a rare strain of the diarrhoea-causing bug.
At least 67 people have been hospitalized.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said today that a total of 211 cases were recorded between May 25 and June 11.
Of these, 147 were in England, 27 in Wales and 35 in Scotland.
Click here to change the format of this module
Only two cases have been recorded in Northern Ireland, although officials say this person is likely to have contracted the bug in England.
Victims include children as young as two years old, although the majority are young adults.
Darren Whitby, Head of Incidents at the FSA said: ‘Sandwich manufacturers are taking a precautionary step to recall a range of sandwiches, wraps, subs and rolls in response to findings from investigations by the FSA, Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and UKHSA which are working to determine the cause. of an ongoing outbreak caused by STEC.
‘This is a complex investigation and we have worked quickly with the relevant companies and local authorities involved to narrow down the wide range of foods consumed to a small number of lettuce leaf products used in sandwiches, wraps, subs and rolls. .
‘After a thorough analysis of the food chain, these products are being recalled as a precaution.’
‘Infections caused by STEC bacteria can cause severe bloody diarrhea and in some cases more serious complications.
‘We therefore advise consumers who have these products at home not to eat them.
‘The FSA is here to ensure food is safe.
“If there are products on the market that are not, we will not hesitate to take action to remove them.”
Click here to change the format of this module
Trish Mannes, incident director at UKHSA, added: ‘We would like to thank all the cases who provided information which enabled us, through epidemiological analysis of questionnaire data and food tracing studies, to narrow down the likely food item associated with this. outbreak.’
Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, also said: ‘Food safety is the top priority for our members and those who sell or prepare food are well informed about food safety measures.’
He added: ‘The affected retailers are taking swift action to withdraw these products from sale and are working closely with the FSA to take any further action necessary to minimize the risk to their customers.’
STEC is considered extremely contagious; only a few bacteria need to be ingested for someone to become ill.
Symptoms of infection include vomiting, fever, stomach cramps and diarrhea, which can last up to two weeks.
But in up to 15 percent of cases, the bug can cause hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening condition that can lead to kidney failure.
Children under the age of five are at the greatest risk of HUS.
However, it can also affect other vulnerable groups, including the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.
STEC is mainly spread by eating contaminated food, such as raw vegetables that have not been properly washed or stored, or through undercooked meat.
It can also be spread by touching infected animals or their feces, either directly or through contaminated water.
People can also pass the bug through direct content, such as caring for a sick child and then touching their face and mouth without properly washing their hands.
Among those hospitalized with serious symptoms was former golf course manager Christopher Holmes, 76.
He was admitted to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, Kent, with diarrhoea, vomiting and stomach cramps.
Doctors were initially puzzled as to the cause of the symptoms, but tests later revealed that he had contracted the STEC E.coli and he was moved to an isolation room.
Daughter Lea, 54, from Deal, Kent, said: ‘It was horrible. We don’t know what causes it.
‘He doesn’t eat red meat or fish and is generally not a big eater. He is very hygienic and always cooks things well.
“The only thing he thought it could be was salad. He ate a lot of salads before he got sick.
‘Over the past few days he has been eating jelly, ice cream and soups. It’s all been quite overwhelming for him.’
Food safety professor Nicola Holden said people should maintain good kitchen hygiene – and be especially careful when starting the barbecue during warm weather.
“It is a particularly nasty strain of E.coli and we have a high number of hospital admissions,” she told Radio 4’s Today programme.
‘What people can do is make sure they are very vigilant about washing their hands and follow the advice of food standards agencies on keeping their food safe and ensuring good hygiene in the kitchen.
‘We are approaching barbecue season. For example, people should ensure that those beef burgers are properly cooked and not raw on the inside.’
People have been advised to contact NHS 111 or their GP if they or their children show symptoms of an E.coli infection.
For children under five, this may include disinterest in breastfeeding or bottle feeding and signs of dehydration, such as fewer wet diapers.
Both adults and children are advised to call NHS 111 or their GP if they continue to vomit for two days or have diarrhea for a week.
Anyone experiencing bloody diarrhea or bleeding from the bottom should call NHS 111 or their GP immediately.