Scottish Daily Mail

Firm recall cheese after child’s death

Batch of Dunsyre Blue linked to E.coli outbreak

- By Victoria Allen and Jenny Kane

A FAMILY firm has recalled a batch of its blue cheese after a child died following an outbreak of E.coli linked to the product.

Dunsyre Blue cheese has been identified as the most likely cause of the deadly bug, which struck 20 people in Scotland this summer.

The death of one of these, believed to be a young girl, was confirmed this week from complicati­ons linked to E.coli.

Now Errington Cheese, a firm based in Carnwath, Lanarkshir­e which uses unpasteuri­sed milk to produce its cheese, has recalled a batch of Dunsyre Blue which ‘may contain’ the bug.

The firm said last month that testing has shown its cheese, served up in restaurant­s and delicatess­ens across Scotland, to be ‘completely clear’ of the O157 strain of E.coli.

Firm owner Humphrey Errington did not comment on the recall yesterday. But Food Standards Scotland (FSS) said the cheese, bought between July 19 and September 8, may contain E.coli.

Its statement said: ‘Food Standards Scotland believes that this precaution­ary recall is a responsibl­e action by Errington Cheese Ltd, that we believe to be in the best interests of consumers to protect them from potential risks to public health.’

Errington Cheese has previously recalled two batches of its Dunsyre Blue, purchased between May 18 and July 29, asking customers to return it to the retailer or throw it away. That came after initial enquiries found a number of people hit by E.coli had consumed it.

Despite extensive investigat­ions, looking at other potential food sources, Health Protection Scotland has been able to find no other link to a majority of the cases. Only last week Mr Errington insisted his cheese was safe, but said he might be forced to stop selling it because FSS was considerin­g a ban.

The firm received a letter of support from Prince Charles during an attempt in 1995 by the local council to destroy a ton of its cheese because it carried the food germ listeria.

Now, however, it is understood to fear a potential prosecutio­n.

E.Coli O157 causes diarrhoea, stomach cramps and haemolytic uremic syndrome, which kills red blood cells and can lead to kidney failure and death.

It is not known how the child died from the bug, but Professor Hugh Pennington, emeritus professor of bacteriolo­gy at Aberdeen University, said this week youngsters could be infected without consuming blue cheese directly. He said: ‘This bug is so infectious, you only have to have a handful or microbes to be infected.’

All cases of E.coli in Scotland were confirmed between July 2 and July 15 of this year, with 11 people treated in hospital.

A report is being produced by a multi-agency incident management team chaired by Health Protection Scotland.

The latest batches of the cheese to be recalled are Dunsyre Blue, with best before dates between September 18 and October 18, and Dunsyre Baby, with best before dates between September 21 and October 11.

FSS said recall notices would be placed in shops selling Dunsyre Blue and urged anyone who has bought the product with the batch number E24 not to eat it and instead return it.

‘This bug is so infectious’

 ??  ?? Precaution: Dunsyre Blue
Precaution: Dunsyre Blue

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