Tesco is recalling its Finest Mozzarella Pearls and Pesto Orzo Salad 215g due to possible contamination with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), following a warning from the Food Standards Agency. Customers have been urged not to eat the affected product and to return it to any Tesco store for a full refund.
Affected use-by dates and risk warning
The withdrawal affects the 215g pack size with use-by dates of August 25, 2026; August 26, 2026; and August 27, 2026. In a risk statement published online, the Food Standards Agency warned of the possible presence of STEC in the product.
Symptoms caused by STEC organisms include severe diarrhoea with or without blood in the stool, abdominal pain, vomiting, dehydration and sometimes haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure and can be fatal.
Customer advice and refund details
Tesco has issued a recall notice explaining why the product is being recalled and what customers should do if they have bought it. The notice states: "Tesco is recalling specific dates codes of Tesco Finest Mozzarella Pearls and Pesto Orzo Salad 215g, due to the possible presence of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), which if consumed can cause illness."
Customers who have purchased an affected batch are advised not to eat it and to return it to any Tesco store for a full refund, with no receipt required. The notice adds that no other Tesco products are affected by this recall.
Those who have bought an affected product are also urged to contact Tesco customer services via the Tesco Customer Services page at tesco.com/help/contact. Anyone experiencing symptoms should stay away from work, school or nursery until they have stopped having symptoms for at least 48 hours to avoid passing the infection on to others.
