Sainsbury’s has warned shoppers not to eat one of its own-label chorizo products over fears some packs could contain listeria.
The retailer, which operates 600 supermarkets and 800 convenience stores, told the UK public to return all packs of Taste the Difference Spanish chorizo Iberico ring with use by dates from 23 November to 16 January.
Anyone who returns one will receive a full refund for the £3.25 cost.
Listeria can cause symptoms similar to flu, including high temperature, muscle ache or pain, chills, diarrhoea and feeling or being sick, according to the Food Standards Agency (FSA). However, in rare cases, the bacteria can cause more serious complications such as meningitis.
Some people are more vulnerable to listeria infections including pregnant women and their unborn babies, babies less than one month old, and those who are elderly or have weakened immune systems.
The FSA advised anyone who had bought the chorizo not to eat it. “Instead, return it to the store from where it was bought for a full refund,” the watchdog said.
Sainsbury’s apologised for any inconvenience caused, adding: “We have not received any complaints. However, we are not willing to take any risks where the safety of our customers is concerned and so we are recalling this product as a precaution”
Last month, Costa Coffee recalled some of its range of sandwiches and wraps after it emerged they could contain small stones.
In May, several Cadbury-branded desserts including Flake and Crunchie chocolate desserts were recalled by their manufacturer over fears they could be contaminated with listeria.
Baronet semi-soft cheeses were recalled in the UK in March over fears of contamination with the bacteria. One person died as a result of the outbreak.
Several supermarket chains including Asda, Sainsbury’s and Tesco recently had to recall a range of chilled products because of concerns that some batches contained fragments of plastic and metal.
