Dozens of ready-to-eat products are being pulled from grocery store shelves as health officials continue to work to identify the source of an ongoing E. coli outbreak.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued a recall warning for a total of 45 sandwich, wrap and salad items from Greencore Group due to possible contamination with the harmful bacteria. The list includes popular products sold at major supermarkets and retailers including Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Aldi, the Co-op, Boots and Amazon.
The FSA confirmed that E.coli has not been found in the recalled products, but they are being recalled as a precaution. Anyone who purchased them is urged not to eat them, but instead return them to the store where they were purchased to receive a full refund.
Earlier this month, health officials confirmed that at least 37 people had been hospitalized following a British E. coli outbreak believed to be linked to food. At the time, the agency said it believed the outbreak, which as of June 11 mainly affected young adults with 211 associated cases, was linked to a nationally distributed food product or multiple food products.
Darren Whitby, incident lead at the Food Standards Agency, said: “Sandwich manufacturers are taking a precautionary step to recall a range of sandwiches, wraps and salads in response to findings from investigations by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), who are working to identify the cause of an ongoing outbreak caused by Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (Stec).”
Greencore Group said in a statement: “Out of an abundance of caution, we have voluntarily recalled a number of sandwiches and wraps due to a potential food safety risk. Greencore adheres to the highest standards of food safety and we work closely with the Food Standards. Agency and our suppliers to better understand the possible cause of each potential problem.”
Complete list of recalled products
Aldi
- Aldi Chicken Fajita Triple Wrap – Best before dates through June 16
Amazon
- Amazon BLT Sandwich – Best before dates through June 16
- Amazon Chicken Salad Sandwich – Best before dates through June 16
- Amazon Plowman’s Sandwich – Best before dates through June 16
- Amazon Shrimp Layered Salad – Best before dates through June 16
- Amazon Chicken & Bacon Layered Salad – Best before dates through June 16
Asda
- Asda Vegan No Chicken Caesar Wrap – Best before dates until June 15th
- Asda Tuna Crunch Sub Roll – Best before dates until 15th June
- Asda Southern Fried Chicken Wrap – Best before dates until 15th June
- Asda Southern Fried Chicken Triple Wrap – Best before dates to 15th June
- Asda Smoky Beans and Cheddar Cheese Wrap – Best before dates until 15th June
- Asda Chicken Salad (Sandwich) – Best before dates until 15th June
- Asda Chicken and Bacon Club (Sandwich) – Best before dates until 15th June
- Asda Brie, Bacon and Chilli Chutney (Sandwich) – Best before dates until June 15
- Asda BLT (Sandwich) – Best before dates until 16th June
Boots
- Boots BBQ Chicken wrap – Best before dates up to and including June 16
- Boots BLT (Sandwich) – Best before dates to June 16th
- Boots Cheddar Cheese Ploughman’s (Sandwich) – Best before dates to June 16
- Boots Chicken and Bacon Caesar Wrap – Best before dates through June 16
- Boots Chicken Salad (Sandwich) – Best before dates up to and including June 16
- Boots Chicken Triple (Sandwich) – Best before dates through June 16
- Boots Delicious Ham and Cheese Ploughman’s (Sandwich) – Best before dates until June 16
- Boots Halloumi and Greek Style Salad wrap – Best before dates until June 16
- Boots Ham and Egg Club (Sandwich) – Best before dates until 16 June
- Boots Mixed Triple (Sandwich) – Best before dates until 16 June
- Boots Southern Fried Chicken Wrap – Best before dates through June 16
- Boots Spicy Bean and Cheese Wrap – Best before dates until June 16th
- Boots Vegan No Chicken Salad (Sandwich) – Best before dates until 16 June
- Boots Vegan No Duck and Hoisin Wrap – Best before dates until June 16
- Boots Veggie Triple (Sandwich) – Best before dates until 16 June
Cooperative
- Co-op Vegan Gro Onion Bhaji (Sandwich) – Best before dates through June 16
- Mexican Style Co-op Bean and Cheese Wrap – Best before dates through June 16
- Co-op Ham, Cheese and Gherkin (Sandwich) – Best before dates to 16th June
- Co-op Ham and Cheese Wrap – Best before dates through June 16
- Co-op Caesar Wrap with Chicken and Bacon – Best before dates through June 17
- Co-op Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato (Sandwich) – Best before dates through June 16
Morrisons
- Morrisons Chicken Salad (Sandwich) – Best before dates until 16 June
- Morrisons Chicken Salad PFS (Sandwich) – Best before dates until 16 June
- Morrisons Gluten Free Chicken Salad (Sandwich) Best before dates until 16 June
- Morrisons Gluten Free Sandwich Platter – Best before dates until June 16th
Sainsbury’s
- Sainsbury’s Peri Peri Chicken Wrap – Best before dates until June 16th
- Sainsbury’s BBQ Pulled Pork and Red Leicester (Sandwich) – Best before dates to June 16
- Sainsbury’s Chicken, Bacon and Avocado Focaccia (Sandwich) – Best before dates until June 16
- Sainsbury’s Greek Style Wrap – Best before dates until June 16th
- Sainsbury’s Jerk Halloumi Wrap – Best before dates until June 16th
E. coli symptoms
Since many of these sandwiches, wraps and salads are products that consumers can take on the go and eat that same day, you may recognize that you have already eaten one of the products mentioned above. If this is the case, look out for the symptoms of food poisoning, which are listed by the NHS as follows:
- Feeling sick (nausea)
- Diarrhea
- Being sick (vomiting)
- Stomach cramps
- A high temperature of 38C or higher
- Feeling generally unwell – such as feeling tired or having aches and chills.
Food poisoning can be caused by a range of bacteria, including E. coli, and symptoms usually begin within a few days of eating the food that caused the infection. It is rarely serious and usually gets better within a week, the NHS advises, and it can usually be treated at home with plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.
NHS Inform advises that you request an urgent GP appointment to seek help on 111 if you or your child have bloody diarrhea. In addition, health care says you should see your doctor if you or your child has diarrhea and:
- It is extremely common or severe
- It takes more than 7 days
- Severe or persistent abdominal pain
- Weight loss
- Have had a large amount of very watery diarrhea
- Showing signs of dehydration, including drowsiness, urinating less than normal, and feeling light-headed or dizzy.