UK supermarkets recall frozen vegetables over listeria outbreak fears

Dozens of products taken off shelves following recent warning from European health agencies over listeriosis

Six of the UK’s most popular supermarkets have been forced to recall various frozen vegetable products due to concerns over possible listeria contamination.

Aldi, Lidl, Iceland, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose have all recalled frozen veg, including packets of sweetcorn and mixed vegetables, because they could contain Listeria monocytogenes, which can cause listeriosis.

Health organisations recently warned that an outbreak of the bacterial infection across Europe had been linked to frozen vegetables that were not cooked properly.

According to the European Food Safety Authority (Efsa), there have been 47 cases of listeriosis as of 8 June, nine of which have resulted in death.

On Friday, the UK Food Standards Agency issued a list of dozens of products distributed by Greenyard Frozen, a Belgium-based supplier.

The FSA said Greenyard “has taken the precautionary step of voluntarily recalling various frozen vegetable products because they might contain Listeria monocytogenes”.

The agency said in its recall notice that “symptoms caused by this organism can be similar to flu and include high temperature, muscle ache or pain, chills, feeling or being sick and diarrhoea”.

Some people are more vulnerable to listeria infections, including those over the age of 65, pregnant women and their unborn babies, babies less than one month old and people with weakened immune systems.

The FSA advised anyone who has purchased the products affected by the recall not to eat them and to return them to wherever they were sold.

The following products are covered by the recall:

Pinguin frozen Sweetcorn Pinguin Supersweet Sweetcorn Tesco frozen Broccoli, Carrot and Sweetcorn Steamer Tesco frozen Every Day Value Sweetcorn Ross Mixed Vegetables One Stop frozen Sweetcorn Aldi Four Seasons frozen Vegetable Steamers Aldi Frozen Four Seasons Mixed Vegetables Pinguin Sweetcorn Aldi Four Seasons Supersweet Sweetcorn Waitrose Essential Supersweet Sweetcorn Waitrose Essential Mixed Vegetable Tesco frozen Mixed Vegetables Waitrose Fine Cut Vegetable Steamer Waitrose Love Life Vegetable Medley Steamers Sainsbury's frozen Special Mixed Vegetables Growers Pride Mixed Vegetables Sainsbury's frozen Basic Mixed Vegetables Sainsbury's frozen Rice Broccoli and Sweetcorn Tesco Frozen Growers Harvest Carrot Peas and Sweetcorn Steamer Tesco Frozen Growers Harvest Mixed Vegetables

Sainsbury's frozen Mixed Vegetables Sainsbury's frozen Carrot Broccoli and Sweetcorn Lidl frozen Green Grocer Supersweet Corn Tesco Growers Harvest frozen Mixed Vegetables Lidl frozen Freshona Vegetable Mix Iceland frozen Mixed Vegetables Pinguin frozen Mixed Vegetables Independent Mix Vegetables Ross Mixed Vegetables Pinguin Mixed Vegetable Pinguin frozen Cut Beans Growers Pride Mixed Vegetables Ross Mixed Country Vegetables Growers Pride Supersweet Sweetcorn Pinguin frozen Golden Rice and Vegetables Growers Pride Supersweet Sweetcorn Ross Sweetcorn Tesco Frozen Sweetcorn Tesco frozen Mixed Vegetables and Peppers Tesco Broccoli Frozen Sweetcorn Peas and Spinach Steamer