An urgent warning has been issued after a listeria outbreak was detected in smoked fish products sold at Lidl stores.
The Food Standards Agency has told customers to not eat the products and to instead return them to the nearest store for a refund.
The affected products are the Deluxe Oak Smoked Scottish Louch Trout and Lighthouse Bay Smoked Trout Trimmings, produced by St James Smokehouse.
It is believed the smoked fish may be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria that can make people unwell.
Symptoms caused by listeria 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.
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.
Lidl has advised customers who have purchased either of the products are advised to not eat them and instead return them to the nearest store for a full refund.
Junior Johnson, director of operations at the FSA, said: “Lidl has done the right thing in instigating this recall and their caution is to be commended.
"The ongoing investigation into a listeria outbreak has identified the presence of a strain of Listeria monocytogenes which has caused serious illness.
"We are therefore warning consumers about these recalled products."
The warning comes a week before Christmas, a period during which people are likely to eat larger quantities of smoked fish products than at other times of the year.
Last week, a dip sold at Sainsbury's was also recalled after it was discovered that salmonella was present in it.
Product details
- Lidl Deluxe Oak Smoked Scottish Louch Trout (100g) - All use-by dates between and including 20 December 2022 and 06 January 2023
- Lighthouse Bay Smoked Trout Trimmings (120g) - All use-by dates between and including 20 December 2022 and 06 January 2023
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