More stores take cooked chicken from shelves in salmonella alert
SUPERMARKETS, cafes and restaurant chains were last night recalling more than 100 chicken products amid fears they may be contaminated with potentially deadly salmonella.
Tesco became the latest supermarket hit by the food poisoning scare sparked this week after an outbreak of the bug at a food processing plant.
The retail giant released a list of 14 recalled cooked poultry products, including plain chicken breast slices and flame grilled chicken thins.
Other outlets to act include Sainsbury’s, M&S, Waitrose, Costa, Pret and Leon restaurants.
All of the recalled items came from the Cranswick, plant in Hull which produces 160 tons of cooked chicken every day.
It said salmonella was detected during a “routine internal inspection”.The suspect products all appear to have use-by dates from May 11 to May 20.
Tons have now been seized and binned. Sainsbury’s has pulled 33 items from shelves. It told the Daily Express: “We are recalling the majority of Sainsbury’s and Taste The Difference chicken sandwiches, chicken wraps, chicken sandwich platters and some of our cooked chicken.”
Waitrose is recalling 10 of its sandwich types and wraps as “a precautionary measure”. M&S is withdrawing 12 products, including deli chicken fillers, salads and sandwiches.
Anyone who has bought any of the products is advised not to eat them and to return them for full refunds.
The salmonella outbreak came to light on Tuesday when Aldi withdrew some of its wraps. It is not clear if anyone has fallen ill after eating any of the products. It can take up to six days to see salmonella symptoms. Around 50 people die from it each year in Britain.
Cranswick said: “We are working closely with Foods Standards Agency experts to resolve the matter.”