Products from Tesco Finest, The Happy Pear, SuperValu Signature Taste, and Centra Freshly Prepared are among a range of ready meals recalled by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) due to fears of the harmful bacteria Listeria monocytogenes.
The various branded prepared meals and side dishes are produced by Ballymaguire Foods and are sold in most major supermarkets – including Aldi, Centra, SuperValu, and Tesco – and are branded under the names of its customers.
The affected products include pre-made meals such as cottage pie, chicken curry, lasagna, as well as various vegetarian dishes.
While the side dishes covered by the recall include mashed potato, potato gratin, green cabbage, and mashed turnip.
Aldi’s Specially Selected range is also among the affected products.
Consumers are advised not to eat any of the more than 141 affected products.
Consumers are also advised to check their freezers for the implicated products and dispose of them.
Symptoms of Listeria monocytogenes infection can include mild flu-like symptoms, or 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, including the elderly.
The incubation period (time between initial infection and first symptoms appearing) is on average three weeks but can range between three to 70 days.
The full list of meals and side dishes that may be affected is available here.