Tesco has urgently recalled several mango products, citing apprehensions about potential Listeria contamination. The recalled products include packs of Tesco Mango, Tesco Mango Batons, and Tesco Mango chunks. These items are sold at Tesco stores across the UK.
The Food Standards Agency posted details of the recall on December 16th, 2023. They advised that consumers should not eat any of the implicated mango products. Instead, the products should be returned to a Tesco store for a full refund. No receipt is required to get the refund.
Listeria monocytogenes bacteria was discovered in some of the affected packs during routine testing. While Listeria poses little risk to most healthy adults, it can cause severe illness in vulnerable groups, including pregnant women, the elderly, young children, and those with compromised immune systems.
Indications of Listeria food poisoning may encompass elevated fever, intense headaches, stiffness, nausea, abdominal discomfort, and diarrhea. In more severe instances, the infection can extend to the nervous system, resulting in significant complications. Pregnant women might exhibit only mild flu-like symptoms, yet the infection has the potential to affect the unborn baby.
Tesco stated that the recall was purely precautionary and that no other Tesco products are known to be affected. They apologized for any inconvenience caused to customers. The recall applies to all pack sizes of the mango products with best-before dates up to and including January 4th, 2024.
The broader implications of this event highlight the need for stringent food safety standards. Listeria contamination often occurs due to inadequate food hygiene and improper storage temperatures in food production facilities. Experts recommend thorough cooking to kill Listeria bacteria in contaminated foods.
The Food Standards Agency will persist in overseeing the situation. Any further updates on affected products will be available on their website. In the meantime, they advised following the recall instructions for anyone who purchased the Tesco mango products. Staying vigilant about food recalls helps protect public health, especially for those most vulnerable.