CFS urges public not to consume a kind of French cheese suspected to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (April 18) urged the public not to consume a kind of cheese imported from France due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, a pathogen. The trade should stop using or selling the product concerned immediately if they possess it.

Details of the product are as follows:

Product name: Brillat Savarin
Place of origin: France
Producer: Sarl ETS Beillevaire
Lot No.: 180140 and 1801579
Best-before dates: March 9, 2018, and March 11, 2018

"The CFS received a notification from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) of the European Commission that the above-mentioned product might have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes and is being recalled. According to the information provided by the RASFF, a local importer, K-Element Limited, had imported some of the affected product into Hong Kong," a spokesman for the CFS said.

The CFS immediately contacted the importer concerned for follow-up. The importer confirmed that it had imported about 4 kilograms of the affected product and all of them were distributed. It has initiated a recall according to the CFS' advice. Enquiries about the recall can be made to the importer's hotline at 3106 4722 during office hours.

"Listeria monocytogenes can be easily destroyed by cooking but can survive and multiply at refrigerator temperature. Most healthy individuals do not develop symptoms or only have mild symptoms like fever, muscle pain, headache, nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea when infected. However, severe complications such as septicaemia, meningitis or even death may occur in newborns, the elderly and those with a weaker immune system. Although infected pregnant women may just experience mild symptoms generally, the infection of Listeria monocytogenes may cause miscarriage, infant death, preterm birth, or severe infection in the newborns," the spokesman said.

The spokesman urged consumers not to consume the affected product if they have bought any. The trade should also stop using or selling the product concerned immediately if they possess it.

The CFS will alert the trade to the incident, and will continue to monitor the case and take appropriate follow-up action. Investigation is ongoing.
 
Ends/Wednesday, April 18, 2018