The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued a 'do not eat' alert for Marks and Spencer's Truffle Gouda cheese after the product was linked to Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium that can cause meningitis. The recall affects 150g packs with a best before date of October 9, 2026.
What is Listeria monocytogenes?
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that causes listeriosis, a serious foodborne infection. Unlike many other foodborne pathogens, Listeria can survive and multiply in cold environments, such as refrigerators, and resists salt and acidic conditions. People typically contract it by consuming contaminated food, including unpasteurised dairy products, soft cheeses, deli meats, hot dogs, and improperly washed raw produce.
Health Risks and Vulnerable Groups
An FSA spokesman said: "Symptoms caused by Listeria monocytogenes can be similar to flu and include high temperature, muscle ache or pain, chills, feeling or being sick and diarrhoea. However, in rare cases, the infection can be more severe, causing serious complications, such as meningitis." The spokesman added: "Some people are more vulnerable to listeria infections, including those over 65 years of age, pregnant women and their unborn babies, babies less than one month old and people with weakened immune systems."
In healthy individuals, the immune system usually confines the infection to the gut, resulting in mild digestive upset. However, Listeria can breach internal cellular barriers, entering the bloodstream and crossing the blood-brain barrier. This leads to bacterial meningitis, an infection and inflammation of the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Listerial meningitis is treated with high-dose intravenous antibiotics, typically ampicillin, and carries a higher mortality rate than most other common forms of bacterial meningitis.
Recall Details and Consumer Advice
M&S is recalling the product, and point of sale notices will be displayed in all retail stores selling it. The notices explain the reason for the recall and instruct customers on what to do. The spokesman advised: "Do not eat it. Instead, return it to where you bought it from for a full refund."
