A popular brand of mussels has been recalled from some supermarkets over concerns they may contain listeria.
New Zealand Food Safety said it is supporting Blackbeards Smokehouse Ltd in the recall of its smoked mussels due to the possible presence of the bacteria.
The following Blackbeards Smokehouse Smoked Mussels, with a batch number of 076/015 and best-before date of 27/02/2023, are affected by this recall:
Smoked Mussels Chilli & Lime 210g
Smoked Mussels Coromandel Gold 210g
Smoked Mussels Garlic & Dill 210g
Smoked Mussels Natural Smoked 210g
New Zealand Food Safety deputy director general Vincent Arbuckle said listeriosis can be serious for vulnerable groups, such as pregnant people and their unborn babies, newborns, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems.
"It is particularly dangerous during pregnancy as it can cause miscarriage, premature labour or stillbirth and infection in the unborn baby," he said.
However, Arbuckle said the infection in healthy adults is unlikely to be severe, only causing mild diarrhoea and flu-like symptoms within a few days of eating contaminated food.
"It can be returned to the place of purchase for a refund. If you are unable to do this, the product should be thrown out," said Arbuckle.
The affected products were sold at the following stores:
Farro Fresh (North Island)
Four Square Coromandel
Fresh Choice Papamoa
New World Albany
Raw Food Market Waiheke
Supie (online) Auckland
Vetro Rotorua
To stay up-to-date with details on whether more stores and products have been affected, the Ministry for Primary Industries' food recall page.has all the information you need.
The product is being removed from stores and there have been no reports of associated illness.
"As is our usual practice, we will be working with the company to understand how the contamination occurred and prevent its recurrence," Arbuckle said.
If you have consumed any of these products and are concerned for your health, please contact your health professional or call Healthline 0800 611 116.
