Iceland issues urgent warning as frozen item contaminated with deadly bacteria

A popular frozen item is being recalled from a UK supermarket as it has been contaminated with a deadly bacteria. Iceland has announced it is recalling a batch of its Cathedral City Ham and Cheese Gratin over fears it could be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

According to the Centers for Disease control Listeriosis is a serious infection caused by the germ Listeria monocytogenes. People usually become ill with listeriosis after eating contaminated food.

The disease primarily affects pregnant women, newborns, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. Although it’s rare for people in other groups to get sick with Listeria infection, it can cause severe disease in the fetus or newborn babies.

The Centers for Disease control website states, some people with Listeria infections, most commonly adults 65 years and older and people with weakened immune systems, develop severe infections of the bloodstream (causing sepsis) or brain (causing meningitis or encephalitis).

“Listeria infections can sometimes affect other parts of the body, including bones, joints, and sites in the chest and abdomen.”

Meanwhile, the CDC estimates that Listeria is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness, or food poisoning, in the United States. An estimated 1,600 people get sick from Listeria each year, and about 260 die

Iceland customers who have bought the Cathedral City Ham and Cheese Gratin product are advised not to eat it and return the product to your nearest Iceland store for a full refund. The batch affected has a best before date of May 2, 2024.

The Food Standards Agency issues Product Withdrawal Information Notices and Product Recall Information Notices to let consumers and local authorities know about problems associated with food. In some cases, a ‘Food Alert for Action’ is issued.