A FRESH wave of food recalls has been issued in Ireland after the discovery of Listeria in several spinach and mixed leaf products.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) announced that seven products are being withdrawn from supermarket shelves due to contamination concerns.
This recall follows a previous listeria-related alert earlier in the week, which involved more than 200 ready-made meals produced by Ballymaguire Foods and has already been linked to one death and nine confirmed cases of listeriosis.
The latest recall includes products from McCormack Family Farms, Tesco, Egan’s, and SuperValu.
Among the items affected are McCormack’s Energise Super Mix, Irish Spinach Leaves, Mixed Leaves, and Baby Leaves; Tesco’s Mild Spinach; Egan’s Irish Baby Spinach; and SuperValu’s unwashed spinach bags.
The FSAI has listed multiple best before dates across these products, with some extending as far as July 31, 2025.
People are being urged not to eat any of the affected items.
Supermarkets have been told to remove the products from sale and display recall notices.
The FSAI has stated the health risks associated with listeria, noting that while listeriosis is rare, it can be dangerous for certain groups, including pregnant women, babies, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems.
Symptoms typically include flu-like effects and gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea.
In more serious cases, the infection can lead to severe complications.
The incubation period for listeriosis averages three weeks but can range anywhere from three to 70 days.
This latest recall comes amid a broader investigation by both the FSAI and the Health Service Executive’s National Outbreak Control Team.
Earlier this week, Ballymaguire Foods confirmed that it had temporarily shut down its production facility on July 19 after listeria was detected in its ready-made meals.
The company issued an apology and stated that it has now completed a full pharmaceutical-grade cleaning of the facility.
It also announced the appointment of Dr Patrick Wall, a former chief executive of the FSAI, to head its response team.
Authorities are continuing to monitor the situation and are urging consumers to check their fridges for any of the recalled products.
Anyone experiencing symptoms after consuming these items is advised to seek medical attention.