Listeria infected meats recall reminder

Tauranga residents are being reminded of a recall of contaminated ready-to-eat meat products.

A person died in Tauranga in July after being infected with Listeria which is the same bug found in a number of meat products manufactured by Bay Cuisine.

The food bug Listeria has been found in ready-to-eat meat products produced by Bay Cuisinse and sold at stores including the Mad Butcher.

Toi Te Ora Public Health confirmed early last month that an elderly Bay of Plenty person died for the food bug in Tauranga Hospital and another case had also been reported.

Bay of Plenty Medical Officer of Health Dr Phil Shoemack confirms two cases of listeria infections have been reported to the public health unit in July.

The Ministry of Primary Industries has overseen the voluntary recall of the infected meat which was issued on July 19.

The recall is a result of investigations carried out by the Hawkes Bay Public Health Unit during their follow-up of four cases of listeria infection which were notified to them during May and June. 

“We’d been liaising closely with our colleagues in the Hawkes Bay and extensive investigations show no apparent link between the Bay of Plenty cases and Hawkes Bay cases,” says Dr Phil Shoemack.

“The Ministry of Primary Industries has assured us that the company involved with the recall of food in Hawkes Bay does not distribute any products in the Bay of Plenty.”
People in the Bay of Plenty who have purchased Bay Cuisine ready-to-eat meats which have an expiry date in September are being asked to return the product as they may be infected with Listeria.