CFS urges public not to consume prepackaged frozen vegetable products suspected to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (July 7) urged the public, for the sake of prudence, not to consume several kinds of prepackaged frozen vegetable products produced by the Greenyard Frozen UK Ltd due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, a pathogen. The trade should stop using or selling the products concerned immediately if they possess them.

Details of the products are as follows:

1. Product name : Sainsbury's Mixed Vegetables
Packing: one kilogram per pack
Importer: The Dairy Farm Company Limited
Best before date: All codes to January 2020 inclusive

2. Product name : Waitrose Love Life Vegetable Medley Steamers
Packing: four small packs of 160 grams each per pack
Importer: PARKnSHOP (HK) Limited
Best before date: May, July, September 2018

3. Product name : Growers Pride Mixed Vegetables
Packing: 450 grams per pack
Importer: PARKnSHOP (HK) Limited
Best before date: All codes to July 2021 inclusive

4. Product name : Ross Mixed Vegetables
Packing: one kilogram per pack
Importer: PARKnSHOP (HK) Limited
Best before date: All codes to July 2020 inclusive

5. Product name : Ross Sweetcorn
Packing: 450 grams per pack
Importer: PARKnSHOP (HK) Limited
Best before date: All codes to July 2021 inclusive

A spokesman for the CFS said, "The Centre, through its Food Incident Surveillance System, learned of a notice issued by the United Kingdom Food Standards Agency that the Greenyard Frozen UK Limited is recalling several kinds of frozen vegetable products as they might have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. "

The CFS immediately contacted major local importers and retailers for follow-up. Preliminary investigation found that two local importers, The Dairy Farm Company Limited and PARKnSHOP (HK) Limited, had imported the above affected products into Hong Kong for sale at their chain supermarkets. The importers concerned have already stopped sale and removed from shelves the affected products and initiated a recall. Members of the public can contact the importers and the supermarkets concerned for enquiries about the recall.

"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, 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 newborns," the spokesman said.

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

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/Saturday, July 7, 2018