Several festive foods are being urgently pulled from supermarket shelves over fears they are riddled with a potentially deadly bacteria which could trigger meningitis and sepsis.
Cheeses by Wicklow Farmhouse, including festive favourites brie and cheddar, must be recalled due to a potential presence of Listeria monocytogenes — a type of bacteria that causes a disease called listeriosis, which causes flu-like symptoms, vomiting and diarrhoea in most people, according to the Food Standards Agency. Wicklow Farmhouse cheeses are currently being sold in independent stores as well as Aldi supermarkets in Ireland.
In most severe cases of listeriosis, infections may spread to the bloodstream or brain, potentially bringing on meningitis or life-threatening sepsis, reports the Mirror. Those most at risk include the elderly, young children and anyone with a weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients.
Pregnant women are also considered high risk, with almost one in five that get listeriosis suffering a miscarriage or stillbirth.
Cheese brands in the recall include:
- Ballykilty Baking Brie
- St Killian Cheese
- Baking St Killian Cheese
- Wicklow Ban
- Wicklow Blue Brie
- St Killians
- Wicklow Farmhouse Cheddar Wedge
- Wicklow Gold Tomato & Herb, and Drunken Saint
Stores across Ireland stock these cheeses, which have seen the 150g portions and their use-by dates impacted. The recall specifically affected those in Northern Ireland, The Food Safety Agency said, with buyers urged to return them for a full refund with no receipt required. The food watchdog said: “Point of sale notices will be displayed in the retail stores in Northern Ireland that are selling the products.”
Just a day prior, several other Christmas dinner staples were pulled off the shelves due to concerns over customers’ health. Products included cabbage, cooked meats and cheeses made by Dunnes in Ireland which were also feared to contain Listeria.
- The recall included:
- Dunnes Stores Wicklow Smoked Cheddar – 150g
- Dunnes Stores Wicklow Tomato & Herb Cheddar – 150g
- Dunnes Stores Wicklow Nettle & Chive Cheddar – 150g
- Dunnes Stores Wicklow Blue Brie – 150g
- Simply Better Irish Brie Cheese & Cranberry Quiche – 800g
- Simply Better Wicklow Ban in Ceramic Dish – 150g
- Simply Better Double Cream Wicklow Ban – 150g
- Simply Better Farmhouse Irish Cheese Selection – 735g
- Simply Better & Neven Maguire Cheese Selection – 705g
There were 177 cases of listeriosis up from 124 in the previous year. Of the cases reported last year, 32 were fatal, according to the latest data in England and Wales from 2023.
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