Shoppers are being urged not to eat any potentially contaminated soft cheese amid fears the infection may reach the UK
Steven White and Cheryl Mullin
19:36, 19 Aug 2025Updated 19:38, 19 Aug 2025
The potentially listeria infected cheese may have been sold in more than 30 countries(Image: Getty Images)
Health authorities have withdrawn potentially lethal soft cheese following two deaths in France linked to a listeria outbreak. A further 21 people have also fallen seriously unwell in the country after consuming bacteria-tainted dairy products between December 2024 and August 13 of this year.
Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway have all confirmed four cases of listeriosis between April 14 and July 9. Concerns are now mounting that the infection may reach the UK. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) suspects that pasteurised soft cow’s and goat’s milk cheeses manufactured by French producer Chavegrand may be connected to the cases.
The firm has now withdrawn all batches of cheese made before June 23, 2025. The items – all soft cheeses crafted from pasteurised cow’s milk or goat’s milk – were sold until August 9 in France and other nations, under various commercial brand names.
They can be identified by the health mark FR 23.117. 001 – anyone who has purchased this specific cheese has been advised against consuming it, reports the Mirror.
A spokesperson for the company said: “We have increased the number of tests on products and equipment by a factor of 100 to ensure there were no contaminants All our employees, who have been working very hard since June, are stunned by this news.”
French health officials have issued a warning: “Anyone who has consumed [these cheeses] and experiences a fever, whether isolated or accompanied by headaches and body aches, should consult their doctor and inform them of their use.”
Symptoms of listeriosis can manifest up to eight weeks after consuming contaminated food.
Listeria symptoms may only last a few days in most people(Image: Getty Images)Listeriosis symptoms
Listeriosis is an infection triggered by the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes. It can cause symptoms that typically last a few days for most people.
However, if they persist longer, it’s advised to seek an urgent GP appointment or ring NHS 111. Symptoms include:
High temperatureAches and painsChillsFeeling or being sickDiarrhoea
If you’re expecting, you may also experience stomach pain or notice your baby moving less than usual. Babies with listeriosis might be irritable and feed less than usual.
Older individuals are at a higher risk of becoming seriously ill from listeriosis, and this risk increases with age.
In the most recent cases in France, those affected ranged in age from 34 to 95 – 11 of whom were women. In the four other countries reporting cases, the patients were aged between 35 and 70.
Despite the potential severity of listeria, the ECDC reassured the public that contamination of pasteurised soft cheese is uncommon. It stated: “For the population in good general health status, the overall risk is estimated to be very low,’ it stated.
“Given the long incubation time of listeriosis more vulnerable people such as pregnant women, elderly people and people with immune deficiency or underlying health conditions should pay attention to signs like fever or severe headache and seek medical advice without delay.”
The ECDC has stated that contaminated products may have been distributed in the following countries:
AlbaniaAndorraAustraliaAustriaBelgiumBurkina FasoCambodiaCanadaCzechiaCôte d’IvoireDenmarkEstoniaFinlandFrance, including French PolynesiaGermanyHong KongHungaryItalyJapanMadagascarMalaysiaMauritiusThe NetherlandsNew CaledoniaSingaporeSlovakiaSouth KoreaSpainSwedenSwitzerlandUnited KingdomUnited States