A Listeria warning has been issued to vulnerable people amid an ongoing outbreak which has seen people who have eaten 'ready to eat' smoked fish become ill. Lidl recently recalled their 'Eridanous Greek Style Smoked Mackerel Fillet' because Listeria monocytogenes has been found in the product.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) are urging people who are over the age of 65, are pregnant or have weakened immune systems to make sure that ready to eat smoked fish is thoroughly cooked before they eat it - even though these products are not normally cooked at home before being eaten. This is because of an ongoing outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes which is particularly unsafe for those who are susceptible to Listeria infection.
An investigation has identified 14 linked cases of listeriosis since 2020 in England and Scotland, with eight of these happening since January this year. The majority of the individuals who became unwell had reported eating ready to eat smoked fish and one person affected was a pregnant woman.
Listeriosis is a form of food poisoning caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. Most people who are affected get mild gastroenteritis which subsides in a few days, but certain people are at risk of severe illness such as meningitis and life-threatening sepsis.
These include those over the age of 65, those with certain underlying conditions such as cancer, liver and kidney failure or who are taking medications which can weaken the immune system. Listeriosis in pregnancy can cause miscarriages and severe sepsis or meningitis in new-born babies.
Lidl recalled their 'Eridanous Greek Style Smoked Mackerel Fillet with Olives and Oregano with Soy Oil' product, which has a best before date of January 2, 2023, because of the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. The symptoms can be similar to flu and include high temperature, muscle ache or pain, chills, feeling or being sick and diarrhoea.
Anyone who bought the recalled Lidl product is urged not to eat it and return to the store where it was bought for a full refund. Dr Caroline Handford, Acting Head of Incidents at the Food Standards Agency, has urged people to be aware of the risks.
She said: "While the risks to the general public of becoming seriously ill due to Listeria are very low, we need people who are vulnerable – specifically those over 65, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems – to be aware of the ongoing risks of consuming ready to eat smoked fish.
"If anyone from these groups is eating ready to eat smoked fish, we are reminding them of the advice to ensure that it is thoroughly cooked before they eat it including when served as part of a dish. People can also further reduce the risk by keeping chilled ready to eat smoked fish cold (5⁰C or below), always using products by their use-by date, following the storage instructions on the label, and cooking it until it is piping hot right through."
Professor Saheer Gharbia, the Interim Deputy Director Gastrointestinal Infections and Food Safety at the UKHSA, added: "Most people won’t have any symptoms of the infection or will only experience mild symptoms such as abdominal pain or diarrhoea, which usually pass within a few days without the need for treatment.
"However, some people are at higher risk of much more serious illness, including those over 65, people who are pregnant or new-born babies, and those with weakened immune systems including people undergoing immunosuppressive treatment, and people with chronic liver or kidney disease.
"In light of this ongoing outbreak, we are advising pregnant and vulnerable people to only eat ready to eat smoked fish that has been thoroughly cooked to reduce the risk of listeriosis. If you have any concerns about your health please speak to your midwife, GP or hospital specialist team."
See www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/listeria for more advice and help.
