POPULAR food products sold by major UK retailers are being urgently recalled over fears they could contain deadly bacteria.
Products including sandwiches, wraps and salads are being pulled from shelves due to a possible link to an E.coli outbreak that has left several people in the UK hospitalized.
Affected retailers include Sainsbury’s, Asda, Aldi, Morrisons, Co-op and pharmacy retail chain Boots.
Authorities say the measure by manufacturer Greencore Group is a “precautionary measure”.
Darren Whitby, head of incidents at the FSA said: “Sandwich manufacturers are taking precautionary measures to recall a number of sandwiches, wraps, sandwiches and rolls… to identify the cause of an ongoing outbreak caused by Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC).
“This is a complex investigation and we worked quickly with the relevant companies and local authorities involved to restrict the wide range of foods.
“The FSA is here to make sure food is safe. If there are products on the market that are not, we will not hesitate to take action to remove them.”
Earlier this month, the UKHSA confirmed that at least 37 people had been admitted to hospital following the E. coli outbreak, which it believes was linked to food.
By 11 June, a further 98 cases associated with this STEC O145 outbreak had occurred in the UK, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 211.
E. coli is a diverse group of bacteria that are normally harmless and live in the intestines of humans and animals.
However, some strains, like Stec, can make people very sick.
People infected with STEC can suffer from diarrhea, and about 50 percent of cases experience bloody diarrhea.
Other symptoms include stomach cramps and fever. Symptoms can last up to two weeks in uncomplicated cases.
Some patients, particularly children, may develop hemolytic uremic syndrome, which is a serious, life-threatening condition that results in kidney failure.
List of products that have been recalled
Asda
- Smoked bean and cheddar cheese wrap
- Chicken Salad (Sandwich)
- Chicken and bacon club (sandwich)
- Brie, bacon and pepper chutney (sandwich)
- BLT (sandwich)
- Vegan Wrap at Chick’n Caesar
- Tuna Crunch Roll
- Southern Fried Chicken Wrap
- Southern Fried Chicken Triple Wrap
Boots
- BBQ Chicken Wrap
- BLT (sandwich)
- Cheddar Plowman’s (sandwich)
- Chicken and Bacon Caesar Wrap
- Chicken Salad (Sandwich)
- Triple Chicken (Sandwich)
- Delicious Plowman’s Ham and Cheese (Sandwich)
- Halloumi and Greek Style Salad Wrap
- Ham and Egg Club (Sandwich)
- Mixed Triple (Sandwich)
- Southern Fried Chicken Wrap
- Spicy Bean and Cheese Wrap
- Vegan salad without chicken (sandwich)
- Vegan Wrap Without Duck and Hoisin
- Triple Vegetarian (Sandwich)
Amazon
- Chicken Salad Sandwich
- Farmer’s Sandwich
- Chicken and Bacon Layered Salad
- Layered Shrimp Salad
- BLT Sandwich
Cooperative
- Vegan Gro Onion Bhaji (sandwich)
- Mexican Style Bean and Cheese Wrap
- Ham, Cheese and Pickles (Sandwich)
- Ham and cheese wrap
- Chicken and Bacon Caesar Wrap
- Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato (Sandwich)
Morrison
- Chicken Salad (Sandwich)
- PFS Chicken Salad (Sandwich)
- Gluten-Free Chicken Salad (Sandwich)
- Gluten-free sandwich plate
Sainsbury’s
- Peri Peri Chicken Wrap
- BBQ Pulled Pork and Red Leicester (Sandwich)
- Chicken, bacon and avocado focaccia (sandwich)
- Greek Style Wrap
- Jerk Halloumi Wrap
ALDI
- Triple Chicken Fajita Wrap
A small proportion of adults may develop a similar condition called thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP).
STEC is often transmitted by eating contaminated food.
These are usually minced meat, unpasteurized dairy products and fresh produce such as spinach, lettuce, fruits and vegetables.
But it can also be transmitted through close contact with an infected person, as well as through direct contact with an infected animal or the area where it lives.
‘DON’T GO BACK TO WORK’
Trish Mannes, UKHSA incident director, said: “If you have diarrhea and vomiting, you can take steps to avoid passing it on to family and friends.
“NHS.uk has information about what to do if you have symptoms and when to seek medical advice.
“Washing your hands with soap and warm water and using disinfectants to clean surfaces will help prevent the spread of infections.
“If you are unwell, with diarrhea and vomiting, you should not prepare food for others while you are sick and avoid visiting people in hospitals or care homes to avoid passing on the infection in these places.
“Do not return to work, school or daycare until 48 hours after symptoms disappear.”
People are advised to call NHS 111 or contact their GP if they are worried about a baby under 12 months, a child stopping breastfeeding or bottle-feeding whilst ill, a child under five showing signs of dehydration, such as fewer wet diapers, and if older children or adults still show signs of dehydration after using oral rehydration sachets.
Help should also be sought if people are ill and cannot keep down fluids, if there is diarrhea with blood or bleeding at the bottom, if diarrhea lasts more than seven days or if vomiting lasts for more than two days, the UKHSA said.
What are the symptoms of STEC?
SHIGA toxin-producing Escherichia coli can cause gastrointestinal illnesses that can become serious.
The most common type of STEC in the UK is O157, according to a 2017 report by Public Health England.
Some people exposed to STEC do not get sick. Others develop stomach cramps and bloody diarrhea.
Symptoms may also include vomiting, fever and chills.
In severe cases, the infection can damage organs such as the kidneys.
Symptoms may appear one to ten days after exposure, but usually appear about three to four days after exposure.
Most people affected by the virus will improve without treatment within a week. Patients are advised to drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.
Are you at risk of catching it?
People can become infected by:
- Eating contaminated food
- Contact with infected animals, either directly or through inadvertent contact with animal faeces, for example on farms, pet farms and camps
- Contact with other people who have the disease (through inadequate hand hygiene after using the bathroom, before handling food – particularly in homes, daycare centers, nursery schools, or both).
- Drinking water from inadequately treated water sources
- Swimming or playing in contaminated water, such as ponds or streams
STEC are very infectious because it takes very few bacteria to cause disease.
This means that the disease can easily spread within families and other places, such as daycare centers, primary schools, nursing homes and hospitals where there are young children and others who may have difficulty keeping themselves clean.
How can you protect yourself from STEC?
A STEC infection can be prevented by taking the following precautions:
- Cook all minced meat products (burgers, meatloaf, meatballs) thoroughly until the color is completely even and no blood runs from them
- Make sure refrigerators are working properly – bacteria grow faster at temperatures above 4OW
- Only leave cooked foods, meat and dairy at room temperature for a short period of time
- Store raw meats below cooked meats and salad vegetables to avoid dripping juices onto ready-to-eat foods
- Store raw and cooked meats in different dishes and avoid any contact between raw and cooked meats
- Wash all salad vegetables well and do not prepare them with utensils that have also been used for raw meat
- Children and the elderly who are particularly susceptible to the serious effects of STEC should avoid eating or drinking unpasteurized dairy products.
- People who have been sick should not prepare food for others for at least 48 hours after they have recovered.
- Boil any drinking water if you are unsure of its origin
- Do not swim in water that you think may be contaminated by cattle and sheep in nearby fields
- Wash your hands thoroughly after using the bathroom (or helping others, including changing diapers), handling raw meat, before eating, and after contact with animals
Source: PHE
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
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