Five cooked ham products have been recalled due to the possible presence of the bacteria listeria monocytogenes.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) said on Tuesday that batches of specific cooked ham products were being recalled.
The recalled batches are Brady Family Wood Smoked Real Irish Ham in a packet of six slices weighing 80g; Brady Family Hand Crumbed Real Irish Ham in a packet of six slices weighing 80g; Lidl Deluxe Triple Oak Smoked Carved Irish Ham in a packet of five slices weighing 130g; Lidl Deluxe Honey Roast Carved Irish Ham in a packet of five slices weighing 130g; and Tesco Finest Crumbed Shaved Ham in a packet of 16 slices weighing 120g.
All of those batches have the use-by date of July 16th, 2026.
The FSAI said recall notices would be displayed at the point of sale.
Symptoms of listeria monocytogenes infection can range from mild and flu-like to 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, such as the elderly.
On average it can take three weeks for first symptoms to appear but the time frame can range from three to 70 days.
Retailers are requested to remove the implicated batches from sale and to display recall notices at the point of sale.
The FSAI advises consumers not to eat the implicated batches.
O’Brien Fine Foods, which produces all five recalled products, said in a statement: “as part of our routine food safety monitoring programme, listeria monocytogenes was detected in a single batch of one product.
“The affected batch was identified at source, quarantined, and did not enter the market. Listeria monocytogenes has not been detected in any other batches of this product.”
The products listed in the FSAI notice were produced in the same production area on the same day as the affected batch.
It said listeria monocytogenes has not, at this time, been detected in any of these products. However, as a precautionary measure the decision was taken to recall them.
The FSAI has issued new rules, which come into force on Wednesday, July 1st, which will oblige food businesses to have robust food safety controls in place to ensure compliance with a stricter limit for listeria monocytogenes.
This limit applies to ready-to-eat foods able to support the growth of listeria monocytogenes , when placed on the market and throughout their shelf life.
A more sensitive microbiological test method will be used to test against the stricter limit which is able to detect listeria monocytogenes at low levels, should it be present in food, the FSAI said.
As a result, in the coming months, consumers might see more food businesses recalling ready-to-eat foods due to the presence of listeria monocytogenes .
Greg Dempsey, chief executive of the FSAI, said “the new rules will effectively raise the microbiological standards expected of food businesses and better protect public health”.
Last year a number of products were recalled due to the presence of listeria monocytogenes, including different types of goats cheese, potted coriander, hummus, mixed leaves and spinach.
A “voluntary precautionary recall” of 141 ready-made products was also issued “due to a link with the outbreak” of listeriosis, which is caused by the bacteria listeria monocytogenes.
The FSAI described the out…