A third sandwich manufacturer has taken one of its products off shelves over fears it could be contaminated with E. coli.
The ‘do not eat’ alert was today slapped on a wrap made by vegan company THIS! sold only in WHSmith.
It is feared the ‘This Isn’t Chicken and Bacon wrap’ could contain faeces contaminated salad leaves linked to an ongoing outbreak of E. coli.
It comes just days after manufacturers Greencore Group and Samworth Brothers Manton Wood recalled more than 60 of its own sandwiches, wraps and salads sold across 10 major UK supermarkets.
The bug — which can kill — usually causes a fever, sickness and diarrhoea. Its symptoms typically fade naturally within days.
The ‘do not eat’ alert was today slapped on a wrap made by vegan company THIS! sold only in WHSmith. It is feared the ‘This Isn’t Chicken and Bacon wrap’ could contain faeces contaminated salad leaves linked to an ongoing outbreak of E. coli
It comes just days after manufacturers Greencore Group and Samworth Brothers Manton Wood recalled more than 40 of its own sandwiches, wraps and salads sold across 10 major UK supermarkets
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said the wrap was being ‘recalled as a precaution’.
The alert impacts date codes on products up to and including June 18.
Point of sale notices, which explain to customers why the product is being recalled, will also be displayed in all stores selling the product, the FSA said.
It added: ‘If you have bought any of the above product do not eat it.
‘Instead, return it to the store from where it was bought for a full refund.’
More than 200 Brits are now known to have been struck down with the Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC), a rare strain of the diarrhoea-causing bug in recent weeks.
At least 67 people have been admitted to hospital.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) today said a total of 211 cases have been logged between May 25 and June 11.
Of these, 147 were in England, with 27 in Wales and 35 in Scotland.
Just two cases have been recorded in Northern Ireland though officials say this individual likely caught the bug in England.
Victims include children as young as two, though the majority are young adults.
The UKHSA has said it expected the number of people falling ill to rise further as it carried out more research using genome sequencing to check which E. coli cases were linked.
Darren Whitby, Head of Incidents at the FSA said: ‘Sandwich manufacturers are taking a precautionary measure to recall various sandwiches, wraps, subs and rolls in response to findings from investigations by the FSA, Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and UKHSA who are working to identify the cause of an ongoing outbreak caused by STEC.
‘This is a complex investigation, and we have worked swiftly with the relevant businesses and the local authorities concerned to narrow down the wide range of foods consumed to a small number of salad leaf products that have been used in sandwiches, wraps, subs and rolls.
‘Following thorough food chain analysis, these products are being recalled as a precaution.’
‘Infections caused by STEC bacteria can cause severe bloody diarrhoea and, in some cases, more serious complications.
‘We therefore advise any consumers who have any of these products not to eat them.
‘The FSA is here to ensure that food is safe.
More than 200 Brits are now known to have been struck down with the Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC), a rare strain of the diarrhoea-causing bug in recent weeks
‘If there are products on the market that are not, we won’t hesitate to take action to remove them.’
Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, also said: ‘Food safety is the highest priority for our members and those who sell or prepare food are well-versed in food safety measures.’
He added: ‘Retailers affected are taking swift action to remove these products from sale and are working closely with the FSA to take any further action needed to minimise risk to their customers.’
STEC is considered to be extremely infectious, only a few bacteria need to be ingested for a person to become ill.
Symptoms of infection include vomiting, fever, stomach cramps and diarrhoea which can last up to two weeks.
But in up to 15 per cent of cases, the bug can cause haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening condition that can lead to kidney failure.
Children under the age of five are at the highest risk of HUS.
A small proportion of adults may develop a similar condition called thrombotic thrombocytopaenic purpura (TTP).
However, it can also affect other vulnerable groups, including the elderly and immunocompromised.
STEC is primarily spread by eating contaminated foods, such as raw vegetables that have not been washed or stored correctly or from undercooked meat.
It can also be spread by touching infected animals or their faeces, either directly or through contaminated water.
People can also pass the bug on through direct content, such as caring for a child who is sick and then touching their face and mouth without properly washing their hands.
