The New Zealand authorities

Prepackaged salad

Batch number: 857723

1) Product name: LEADERBRAND Fancy Leaf Continental
Best before date: March 15, 2017

2) Product name: LEADERBRAND Tender Mesclun
Best before date: March 14, 2017

3) Product name: LEADERBRAND Farm Fresh Ranchslaw
Best before date: March 14, 2017

Batch number: 858294

1) Product name: LEADERBRAND Baby Spinach
Best before date: March 17, 2017

2) Product name: LEADERBRAND Fancy Leaf Continental
Best before date: March 17, 2017

3) Product name: LEADERBRAND Super Kale
Best before date: March 17, 2017

4) Product name: LEADERBRAND Tender Mesclun
Best before date: March 18, 2017

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) has received a notification from the New Zealand authorities that certain kinds of prepackaged salad products produced by a New Zealand manufacturer, LeaderBrand Produce Ltd, might have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes and the manufacturer is recalling the affected products. According to the information provided by the New Zealand authorities, the above-mentioned seven kinds of affected products have been imported to Hong Kong by an importer, Lee Fish Asia Limited.

Listeria monocytogenes can be easily destroyed by cooking but can survive and multiply at refrigerator temperatures. 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 the newborns.

Upon learning of the incident, the CFS immediately followed up with the importer concerned. The importer confirmed that about 39 kilograms of the above-mentioned products have been imported to Hong Kong and were only supplied to city'super supermarket for sale.

The supermarket concerned has already stopped sale and removed from shelves the affected products.

The CFS will continue to closely monitor the situation and take appropriate action to safeguard food safety and public health.

Stop using or selling the products concerned immediately should they possess them.

Not to consume the products concerned.

The CFS press release

The importer has initiated a recall. For enquiries about the recall, members of the public may call Lee Fish Asia Limited hotline at 2898 0520 during office hours.