Dozens of ready-to-eat products are being pulled from supermarket shelves as health officials continue to work to identify the cause of the ongoing E. coli outbreak.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued a recall notice for a total of 45 sandwiches, wraps and salads from Greencore Group due to possible contamination with harmful bacteria. The list includes popular products sold in major supermarkets and retailers including Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Aldi, Co-op, Boots and Amazon.
The FSA has confirmed that E.coli has not been detected in the recalled products, but that they are being recalled as a precautionary measure. Anyone who purchased them is urged not to eat them and instead return them to the store where they were purchased for a full refund.
Earlier this month, health officials confirmed that at least 37 people had been admitted to hospital following an E. coli outbreak across the UK believed to be food-related. At the time, the agency said it believed the outbreak, which as of June 11 mostly affected young adults with 211 related cases, was linked to a nationally distributed food or multiple food items.
Darren Whitby, Head of Incidents at the Food Standards Agency, said: “Sandwich manufacturers are taking precautionary measures to recall various sandwich wraps and salads in response to findings from investigations by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and the UK Health Security Agency ( UKHSA) who are working to identify the cause of the ongoing epidemic of shiga toxin-producing E.coli (Stec).’
Greencore Group said in a statement: “As a precautionary measure, we have voluntarily recalled a range of sandwiches and wraps due to a potential food safety risk. Greencore adheres to the highest food safety standards and we are working closely with the Food Standards Agency and our suppliers to better understand the possible source of any potential issue. “
Full list of downloaded products
Aldi
- Aldi Chicken Fajita Triple Wrap – use by June 16 inclusive
Amazon
- Amazon BLT Sandwich – Expiry dates up to and including June 16th
- Amazon Chicken Salad Sandwich – Expiry dates up to and including June 16
- Amazon Ploughman’s Sandwich – Expiration dates up to and including June 16
- Amazonian shrimp layered salad – use by June 16 inclusive
- Amazon salad with chicken and bacon – use by June 16 inclusive
Asda
- Asda Vegan No Chicken Caesar Wrap – use by June 15 inclusive
- Asda Tuna Crunch Sub Roll – use by dates up to and including 15 June
- Asda Southern Fried Chicken Wrap – use by dates up to and including June 15
- Asda Southern Fried Chicken Triple Wrap – use by June 15 inclusive
- Asda Smoky Beans and Cheddar Cheese Wrap – use by June 15 inclusive
- Asda Chicken Salad (Sandwich) – Use by June 15 inclusive
- Asda Chicken and Bacon Club (sandwich) – expiry dates up to and including 15 June
- Asda Brie, Bacon and Chilli Chutney (sandwich) – use by June 15 inclusive
- Asda BLT (Sandwich) – Best before and after June 16th
Boots
- Boots BBQ Chicken wrap – Use by June 16 inclusive
- Boots BLT (Sandwich) – use by June 16 inclusive
- Cheddar Cheese Ploughman’s Boots (Sandwich) – Use by June 16 inclusive
- Boots Chicken and Bacon Caesar Wrap – use by June 16 inclusive
- Chicken salad with shoes (sandwich) – expiration dates up to and including June 16
- Boots Chicken Triple (Sandwich) – use by June 16 inclusive
- Boots Delicious Ham and Cheese Ploughman’s (Sandwich) – use by June 16 inclusive
- Boots Halloumi and Greek Style Salad wrap – use by June 16 inclusive
- Boots Ham and Egg Club (sandwich) – use by June 16 inclusive
- Mixed Triple (Sandwich) Boots – Expiration dates up to and including June 16
- Boots Southern Fried Chicken Wrap – use by June 16 inclusive
- Boots Spicy Bean and Cheese Wrap – use by June 16 inclusive
- Boots Vegan No Chicken Salad (Sandwich) – use by June 16 inclusive
- Vegan No Duck and Hoisin Wrap Boots – use by June 16 inclusive
- Boots Veggie Triple (Sandwich) – use by June 16 inclusive
Co-op
- Co-op Vegan Gro Onion Bhaji (sandwich) – Expiry dates up to and including June 16
- Co-op Mexican Style Bean & Cheese Wrap – Use by June 16th inclusive
- Co-op Ham, Cheese and Cucumber (sandwich) – best before June 16 inclusive
- Co-op Ham and Cheese Wrap – use by June 16 inclusive
- Co-op Chicken and Bacon Caesar Wrap – use by June 17 inclusive
- Co-op Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato (Sandwich) – Best before June 16 inclusive
Morrisons
- Morrisons Chicken Salad (sandwich) – use by June 16 inclusive
- Morrisons PFS Chicken Salad (sandwich) – best before 16th June inclusive
- Morrisons Gluten Free Chicken Salad (Sandwich) Expiration date up to and including 16 June
- Morrisons Gluten Free Sandwich Platter – Use by June 16 inclusive
Sainsbury’s
- Sainsbury’s Peri Peri Chicken Wrap – use by June 16 inclusive
- Sainsbury’s BBQ Pulled Pork and Red Leicester (Sandwich) – use by June 16 inclusive
- Sainsbury’s Chicken, Bacon and Avocado Focaccia (Sandwich) – Use by June 16 inclusive
- Sainsbury’s Greek Style Wrap – use by dates up to and including 16 June
- Sainsbury’s Jerk Halloumi Wrap – use by dates up to and including 16 June
Symptoms of E. coli
Since many of these sandwiches, wraps, and salads are items that customers can pick up on the go and eat the same day, you may recognize that you’ve already eaten one of the above products. If this is the case, look out for the symptoms of food poisoning, which are listed by the NHS as follows:
- Feeling sick (nausea)
- Diarrhea
- Being sick (vomiting)
- Stomach cramps
- A high temperature of 38 C or higher
- You don’t feel well in general – such as feeling tired or achy and chilly.
Food poisoning can be caused by a variety of bacteria, including E. coli, and symptoms usually appear within a few days of eating the food that caused the infection. It is rarely serious and usually gets better within a week, advises the NHS, and can usually be treated at home with plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.
NHS Inform recommends making an urgent appointment with a GP to seek help by calling 111 if you or your child have bloody diarrhoea. In addition, the health service says you should talk to your GP if you or your child have diarrhea and:
- It is particularly common or severe
- Lasts more than 7 days
- Severe or continuous stomach pain
- Weight loss
- They passed a great deal of very watery diarrhea
- You have signs of dehydration – including feeling sleepy, urinating less than usual and feeling light-headed or dizzy.