One person has died from listeriosis following an outbreak of listeria monocytogenes that has been linked to an artisan cheese.
Three cases of the illness have now been confirmed, with a potential link to a recent outbreak in batches of recalled Baronet semi soft cheese made by Wiltshire-based cheesemaker The Old Cheese Room, the FSA said on Friday.
As a result, the FSA and UK Health Security Agency have warned the public not to eat any Baronet soft cheeses subject to the recalls, due to fears they may be contaminated with listeria – in some cases at “exceptionally high levels”, the food safety watchdog added.
The outbreak strain has been found in some food products and samples taken from a variety of food environments, the FSA said. But there had been no official confirmation that Baronet was the direct cause of the illnesses at this stage, it stressed.
“Due to this outbreak of listeria monocytogenes, we are urging consumers who are vulnerable to listeria infection – including people who are pregnant and people with weakened immune systems – to ensure they follow the advice in the product recall notices, which details all of the products which may pose a risk,” said FSA head of incidents Tina Potter.
The FSA has recommended that those who have purchased the recalled products do not eat them, thoroughly clean any surfaces the products may have touched, keep fridges at five Celsius or below, and always use products up to and within their use-by date.
The recall extends to The Old Cheese Room’s 1kg Baronet Soft Cheese, its 200g Baby Baronet Soft Cheese and its 270g Mini Baronet Soft Cheese variants.
Batches 21/12 Baronet, 11/01 Baronet, 12/01 Baronet, 16/01 Baby Baronet and 18/01 Mini Baronet and Baronet had been affected, with the best before dates 31/3/23, 11/04/23, 12/04/23, 16/04/23 and 18/04/23.
The supplier last week said the outbreak had made real one of its “worst fears”.
It added on Friday it was working closely with the FSA and its local environmental health officer in relation to the outbreak.
“As a responsible cheesemaker we carry out regular cleaning, disinfecting and swab testing of our making and ripening rooms,” it said in a statement.
“Since the test that showed a trace of listeria monocytogenes in Baronet, we have changed our monthly testing regime to positive release, this means that we test every batch of cheese before it leaves us. None of our other cheeses have been affected by this.”
Businesses have been advised to check whether they have been affected by the product withdrawal and to take action where necessary.
Symptoms caused by listeriosis can be like flu and include high temperature, muscle ache or pain, chills, feeling or vomiting and diarrhoea. However, in rare cases, the infection can be more severe, causing serious complications, such as meningitis.
“Listeriosis is a rare infection and most people will only experience mild symptoms such as abdominal pain or diarrhoea, which usually pass within a few days without the need for treatment,” said Richard Elson, head of incidents and response at UKHSA.
“But people with weakened immune systems, who are pregnant, or are infants or elderly, are at greater risk of developing severe symptoms.”
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