THE FOOD SAFETY Authority of Ireland has issued another warning to the public about spinach products that may contain the harmful bacteria Listeria monocytogenes. 

The FSAI said this afternoon that it issued a recall of two products from McCormack Family Farms. 

The recalled products are McCormack Family Farms Irish Spinach Leaves 500g (batches L199, L200, L202, L203, L204, L205) and Fresh Choice Market Spinach Leaves 100g with use-by dates ranging from 25 to 31 July.

Two spinach products recalled by the FSAI FSAI FSAI

The two spinach products are the latest to be added to a long list of similar products recalled by the FSAI yesterday. 

The full list of the dates of those affected products is available on the FSAI website. Recall notices will be displayed at point-of-sale in stores.

Last week, an “extensive outbreak” of  Listeria monocytogenes resulted in the recall of over 140 ready-made meals produced by Ballymaguire Foods. The meals were produced for a number of major supermarkets in Ireland.

Medical professionals are currently investigating the death of an adult with confirmed listeriosis, with nine people confirmed as having the infection. 

The FSAI said today that there is “currently no evidence” that the spinach and mixed leaves recalls are connected to last week’s listeriosis outbreak involving the ready-to-heat meals, which is currently under investigation. 

The food safety watchdog acknowledged consumers may be anxious at the news of a second series of recalls involving Listeria monocytogenes.

It said: “While we urge people to be aware of the risks, and to take precautions when using ready-to-eat foods, they can be assured that there is a robust food control system in place in Ireland, which contributed to the identification of the latest need for a recall.”

Symptoms of Listeria monocytogenes infection can include mild flu-like symptoms, or gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.

In rare cases, the infection can be more severe, causing serious complications. Some people are more vulnerable to Listeria monocytogenes infections, including pregnant women, babies, and people with weakened immune systems, including the elderly.

The incubation period (time between initial infection and first symptoms appearing) is on average 3 weeks but can range between 3 and 70 days.

Consumers are advised not to eat the implicated products. Retailers are requested to remove the implicated products from sale and display recall notices at point-of-sale.

Wholesalers and distributors are requested to contact their affected customers and recall the implicated products and provide a point-of-sale recall notice to their retailer customers.