Urgent recall of wrapper as THIRD company issues warning about possible deadly E.Coli outbreak as ‘precautionary measure’

A THIRD company has recalled a product as a “precautionary measure” due to a possible deadly E. coli outbreak.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) told the manufacturer THIS! has issued a recall notice to customers about its vegan chicken and bacon wrap, which is only sold at WH Smith.

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The manufacturer stated that it did not detect E. coli in the product.

But the FSA said anyone who purchased the product at any time up to and including Tuesday, June 18 should not eat it and instead return it to the store for a full refund.

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.

It comes just days after manufacturers Greencore Group and Samworth Brothers Manton Wood recalled a range of sandwiches, wraps and salads.

The products being recalled by Greencore include sandwiches, wraps and salads sold in Sainsbury’s, Asda, Aldi, Morrisons, Co-op and pharmacy retail chain Boots.

Samworth Brothers Manton Wood is recalling a number of Tesco and One Stop sandwiches and wraps.

Darren Whitby, head of incidents at the Food Standards Agency, said:

“Sandwich manufacturers are taking a precautionary measure to recall various 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.

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.

Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, said: “Food safety is the highest priority for our members and those who sell or prepare food are well versed in food safety measures.

“Following investigations by regulators FSA and UKHSA, a number of manufacturers in the supply chain are taking precautionary measures and issuing a recall notice for a small number of products.

“Affected retailers are taking swift action to withdraw these products from sale and are working closely with the Food Standards Agency to take any additional steps necessary to minimize the risk to their customers.”