A fatal case of listeriosis has been connected to contaminated ready-to-eat products available at leading retailers, with Tesco and Aldi stores in Ireland among those affected.
The death has triggered immediate action from supermarket executives who are working to withdraw potentially hazardous ready meals and side dishes produced by Ballymaguire.
Store managers have moved swiftly to clear potentially contaminated meals from their shelves as public health fears mount.
The Health Service Executive has confirmed the fatality is under investigation, though officials cite patient confidentiality as preventing disclosure of additional details.
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|Supermarkets are working to withdraw potentially hazardous items
"The HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre has been notified of and is investigating the death of an adult with confirmed listeriosis," the organisation stated.
Ireland's Food Safety Authority revealed it was examining the cases as part of outbreak response measures.
Authorities have initiated voluntary precautionary recalls of ready-to-heat products from Ballymaguire Foods, with numerous items from the manufacturer's range now withdrawn from sale.
The specific product consumed by the deceased individual has not been identified amongst the extensive list of recalled items.
The recalled products are exclusively sold in the Republic of Ireland and to a limited extent in Northern Ireland. They include:
Clean Cut Beef Stroganoff
- Pack size 400g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Clean Cut Chicken Carbonara
- Pack size 400g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Clean Cut Butter Chicken
- Pack size 400g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Clean Cut Taco Wedges
- Pack size: All pack sizes
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Clean Cut Veggie Bolognese
- Pack size: All pack sizes
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Clean Cut Cottage Pie
- Pack size 400g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Good Food Locally Sourced Chicken & Stuffing Dinner
- Pack size 600g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Good Food Locally Sourced Beef Dinner
- Pack size 600g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Good Food Locally Sourced Spaghetti Bolognese
- Pack size 400g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Good Food Locally Sourced Ham & Mushroom Tagliatelle
- Pack size 400g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Good Food Locally Sourced Mac & Cheese
- Pack size 400g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Good Food Locally Sourced Spaghetti Carbonara
- Pack size 400g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Clean Cut Spaghetti Bolognese
- Pack size 400g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Good Food Locally Sourced Chicken Arrabiata
- Pack size 400g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Good Food Locally Sourced Chicken Tikka & Rice
- Pack size 450g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Good Food Locally Sourced Chilli Beef & Rice
- Pack size 450g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Good Food Locally Sourced Carbonara Pasta Bake
- Pack size 450g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Good Food Locally Sourced Mexican Bean Burrito Bowl
- Pack size 450g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Good Food Locally Sourced Salmon Penne Pasta
- Pack size 450g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Good Food Locally Sourced Teriyaki Beef Noodle Bowl
- Pack size 450g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Good Food Locally Sourced Slow Cooked Beef Ragu with Pappardelle
- Pack size 450g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Good Food Locally Sourced Chicken Massaman with Sticky Jasmine Rice
- Pack size 450g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Good Food Locally Sourced Chicken with Black Bean & Egg rice
- Pack size 450g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Clean Cut Chicken Curry
- Pack size All pack sizes
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Good Food Locally Sourced Chicken with White Wine sauce
- Pack size 550g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Good Food Locally Sourced Chorizo Mac & cheese
- Pack size 450g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Good Food Locally Sourced Korean style chicken with noodles
- Pack size 450g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Good Food Locally Sourced Chicken Laksa
- Pack size 450g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Signature Taste Potato Mash
- Pack size 400g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Signature Taste Potato Gratin
- Pack size 400g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
SuperValu Beef Lasagne
- Pack size 1.2kg
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
SuperValu Cottage Pie
- Pack size 1.2kg
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Tesco Meals Made Easy Beef Lasagne
- Pack size 1kg
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Tesco Meals Made Easy Chicken Curry
- Pack size 1kg
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Clean Cut Chicken Spice Bag
- Pack size 400g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Tesco Meals Made Easy Chicken & Pasta Bake
- Pack size 1kg
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Tesco Meals Made Easy Chicken & Broccoli Potato Bake
- Pack size 1kg
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Clean Cut Thai Green Curry
- Pack size 400g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Clean Cut Paella
- Pack size 400g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Clean Cut Turkey meatballs
- Pack size 400g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Clean Cut Chicken Chow Mein
- Pack size 400g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
Clean Cut Chorizo and Chicken Pasta
- Pack size: 400g
- Batch code: All Batch Codes
- Best before: All Best Before dates
What is listeria?
Listeria bacteria typically spread through contaminated food consumption, with chilled ready-to-eat products posing particular risk.
The infection commonly occurs from consuming cold cooked meats, smoked fish, soft cheeses like camembert and brie, pâtés, pre-made sandwiches and salads, pre-cut fruits, and unpasteurised dairy products.
Most infected individuals experience mild symptoms including fever, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea lasting several days.
Pregnant women might additionally experience abdominal discomfort and reduced foetal movement, whilst infected infants often display irritability and decreased appetite.
The bacteria can also transmit through contact with infected individuals who haven't practised proper hand hygiene, or exposure to farm animals during birthing.
Certain populations face heightened danger from listeriosis, with potentially fatal consequences for vulnerable individuals.
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|Tesco and Aldi are among the supermarkets affected by the recall
Those at greatest risk include expectant mothers, newborns, cancer patients, diabetics, and people with liver or kidney conditions.
Individuals receiving immunosuppressive treatments like chemotherapy or corticosteroids also face increased vulnerability to severe complications.
The elderly population experiences escalating risk with advancing age, making them particularly susceptible to serious illness.
For pregnant women, listeria infection carries the devastating possibility of miscarriage or stillbirth.
In immunocompromised patients and infants, the bacteria can trigger life-threatening conditions including blood poisoning and brain inflammation, underscoring the critical nature of the current outbreak.