Sandwich manufacturer Greencore, which supplies major supermarkets such as Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s, is among a number of companies to recall products after they may have been linked to an outbreak of E coli, which has almost doubled the number of cases in Britain to more than 200.
The company is recalling thousands of sandwiches, wraps and salads sold through these three supermarkets, as well as Boots, Aldi, Amazon and the Co-op. The 45 products contain a certain variety of lettuce leaves linked to the outbreak identified this month by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
Another company, Samworth Brothers, which supplies Tesco and its One Stop supermarket chain from Manton Wood, is recalling 15 types of sandwiches, wraps and subs for the same reason.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/jun/14/uk-supermarket-sandwich-recall-full-list-of-products
Another manufacturer expected to issue a recall has yet to be identified as investigations continue into exactly which products may be affected.
News of the recall came as the UKHSA revealed on Friday that a further 98 cases had been linked to the outbreak, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 211, including 147 in England, 27 in Wales, 35 in Scotland and two in North -Ireland. .
The agency said at least 67 people had been hospitalized. It expected the number of those affected by the outbreak to rise further as it conducted more research using genome sequencing to identify which E coli cases were linked.
Sources said the recalled items were not believed to contain E.coli as the affected batch of lettuce leaves had now been used up. However, customers and retailers were asked to return the items as a precaution.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said sandwich makers were taking “a precautionary measure” to recall several sandwiches, wraps and salads in response to findings from investigations into the “ongoing outbreak” of Shiga toxin-producing E coli (Stec).
Darren Whitby, the FSA’s incident lead, said: “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 and wraps. 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.”
Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, said: “Food safety is the top priority for our members and those who sell or prepare food are well informed about food safety measures.
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“The affected retailers are taking swift action to withdraw these products from sale and are working closely with the Food Standards Agency to take any further action necessary to minimize the risk to their customers.”
Greencore’s recall covers 45 different products, including Asda’s chicken and bacon club sandwich, Boots’s BLT, Asda’s tuna crunch sub roll and Sainsbury’s peri peri chicken wrap. The Samworth Brothers recall includes 15 items, including a Tesco chicken salad sandwich and a One Stop tuna crunch sub.
Earlier this month, the UKHSA said that 113 recent UK cases of E coli since May 25 were believed to be part of a single outbreak, which was likely linked to a “nationally distributed food product or multiple food products” due to its broad geographical location. spread of cases.
Supermarkets issued notices asking consumers who had purchased any of the affected products not to eat them but to return them to a store where they would receive a full refund.
Greencore 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 any potential problem.”