French raw sheep's milk cheese contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (May 7) urged the public not to consume certain batches of PERAIL raw sheep's milk cheese imported from France, as the product might have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a pathogen. The trade should also stop using or selling the product concerned immediately.

Details of the product are as follows:

Product name: Raw milk cheese from sheep "PERAIL"
Place of origin: France
Manufacture date: between March 15 and April 2, 2015

"The Centre received a notification from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) of the European Commission that certain batches of PERAIL raw sheep's milk cheese were found to have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The French producer concerned has initiated a recall of all batches of all specialties of the product produced between the aforesaid dates. According to the information provided by the RASFF, a small volume of the affected product (with best before dates of May 23, 29 or 30, 2015) has been imported into Hong Kong," a spokesman for the CFS said.

The CFS is contacting the importer concerned in Hong Kong as notified by the RASFF to instruct it to stop the sale and initiate a recall of the affected product, and trace the distribution of the food concerned.

The CFS will also alert the trade to the incident and instruct them to stop using or selling the affected product immediately should they have imported and still possess the product.

"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 septicemia, meningitis or even death may occur in newborns, 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.

He urged members of the public to stop consuming the affected batch of product if they have purchased it, and to seek medical advice if they feel sick upon consumption.

The CFS will continue to follow up the case and take appropriate actions.

Ends/Thursday, May 7, 2015