'Do not eat' warning issued over cheese products days before Christmas

An urgent recall on certain foods has impacted a number of cheeses immediately ahead of Christmas. A number of cheeses Wicklow Farmhouse's range, including cheeses such as cheddar and brie, have had a recall issued by the Food Standard Agency (FSA).

The 'do not eat' notice has come amid risks by the FSA that the cheeses could be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. This bacteria can lead to serious infections including listeriosis.

Symptoms of the condition can include vomiting, diarrhoea, and flu-like effects. In more serious cases it can cause fatal sepsis and meningitis.

Cheeses which are available at Irish Aldi stores as well as independent shops have been recalled as a result of the risk. This is particularly high for vulnerable groups such as young children, the elderly, pregnant people, and people who are immunocompromised.

Among the products impacted by the recall include Ballykilty Baking Brie, St Killian Cheese, Baking St Killian Cheese, Wicklow Ban, Wicklow Blue Brie, St Killians, Wicklow Farmhouse Cheddar Wedge, Wicklow Gold Tomato and Herb, and Drunken Saint. The cheese are in 150g portions, and the recalls impact all use by dates.

The FSA advises: "If you have bought the above products do not eat them. Instead, return them to the store from where they were bought for a full refund."

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) linked Dunne's cheese products to potential listeria contamination fears. Point of sale notices have been displayed in Northern Ireland retail stores selling the affected items.

Last year, 177 reported cases of listeriosis were recorded in England and Wales, an increase from the 124 recorded the previous year. Of the cases reported in 2023, 32 were fatal, with one directly linked to