The federal food safety agency has ordered two Belgian companies to recall a number of products because of a risk of salmonella. The agency was acting on the advice of the Dutch authorities, who discovered the outbreak among products that may also be exported to Belgium. As well as the two companies involved in the recalls, others have been ordered to shut down production before products left the factory.
The products concerned are, from Vleeswaren Peeters:
Le Césarin salami, 400g, sold by Lidl, batch numbers 21837 (expiry date: 04/12/2018) and 21838 (11/12/2018); mini-salami, batch 21838 expires 12/12, sold by Delhaize; and Duo salami with nuts 2x75g batch 21837 and 225g batch 21837, sold by various outlets.
From Imperial Meat Products:
Marcassou Jambon d’Ardenne batch L004065 dates 04/12/2018, 11/12/2018, 20/12/2018 and 04/01/2019, sold by Carrefour, Cora, Delhaize, Makro, Match and Colruyt; Saint Alby jambon d’Ardenne 100g sold between 5/10 and 30/11 with code 20808549, sold by Lidl.
Salmonella is a potentially fatal disease which may not even be eradicated by cooking, which is anyway not the case in the products concerned. Symptoms appearing six to 72 hours after consumption of tainted food include fever, stomach cramps and diarrhoea. Children, the elderly, pregnant women and anyone with a compromised immune system are particularly at risk. Medical advice should be sought immediately.
The alert was sent to Belgium by the Dutch authorities via the RASFF system – Rapid Alert for Food and Feed – of which both countries are members.
Alan Hope
The Brussels Times
