The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) is investigating a serious outbreak of listeriosis at a Ballymaguire Foods production facility in Dublin, and several products from McCormack Family Farms have now also been recalled due to the presence of listeria.
These outbreaks are a stark reminder of the critical importance of food safety systems in the workplace, and the potential consequences of contamination.
What is listeriosis?
Listeria infection, or listeriosis, is an illness caused by the presence of listeria bacteria in food.
The illness usually causes flu-like symptoms, nausea, and vomiting. For those who are pregnant, over the age of 65, or who have weakened immune systems, listeriosis can be very serious - or even fatal.
According to the FSAI, the incubation period for listeriosis is approximately three weeks, but symptoms can appear anywhere between 3 and 70 days after the initial infection.
Listeria outbreak at Ballymaguire Foods
Ballymaguire Foods has initiated a recall of all products produced at the affected facility, which includes 141 different types of ready-to-heat meals. The prepared meals and side dishes are sold in a variety of supermarkets around the country, including Tesco, Aldi, Centra and Supervalu.
At the time of writing, one person with a confirmed case of listeria has passed away, and nine other cases of listeria have been identified.
Recall of McCormack Family Farms products
Several spinach and mixed leaves products have also been recalled following the detection of listeria.
These seven products are produced by McCormack Family Farms and are sold in major supermarkets such as Supervalu and Tesco.
What can employers learn from these recent listeria outbreaks?
Cases such as these shine a light on the critical importance of food safety management.
Health & Safety protocols can save lives. Whether you’re talking about staff training, machinery, PPE, or chemicals management, every element of your safety system should be taken seriously and maintained at all times. Even a seemingly insignificant breach of protocol could have devastating consequences.
Businesses that deal with the production or preparation of food products should take this opportunity to ensure that their current safety systems are up to scratch, and that no hazard has been overlooked.
Ensure that your safety statement and risk assessments are comprehensive, and that they are fully up to date with any changes that have been made to business procedures since you last updated your documentation.
It is also crucial to ensure that your staff receive comprehensive Health & Safety training. This way, you can trust that your safety systems are being implemented in a consistent manner across your business, and that every source of risk has been identified, recorded, and managed.