Public warned not to eat Baronet semi-soft cheese after listeria death

People have been warned to avoid Baronet semi-soft cheeses contaminated with bacteria after one person died in a listeria outbreak.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued the warning on Friday after “exceptionally high levels” of listeria were found in some of the cheeses. There is no confirmation Baronet is the cause of the outbreak.

On Monday, the FSA – which makes sure food is safe – issued an alert saying Wiltshire-based manufacturer The Old Cheese Room was extending its recall of Baronet, Baby Baronet, and Mini Baronet Soft Cheeses because listeria monocytogenes has been found in some batches.

These include pack sizes of 1kg, 270g, and 200g, and best-before dates of 21 and 22 March, and 4, 10, 11, 12, 16 and 18 April.

UKHSA said three listeria cases had been linked to an outbreak, and one person has died.

Baronet is a pasteurised semi-soft cheese with a pinkish-orange rind and a strong smell.

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The Old Cheese Room said: “We are working closely with our local environmental health officer and the Food Standards Agency, and will continue to do so.

“As a responsible cheesemaker, we carry out regular cleaning, disinfecting, and swab testing of our making and ripening rooms.

“Since the test that showed a trace of listeria monocytogenes in Baronet, we have changed our monthly testing regime to positive release, this means that we test every batch of cheese before it leaves us.

“None of our other cheeses have been affected by this.”

The cheese is sold in both small individual rounds and as 1kg wheels, but because it can be served sliced from a deli counter, consumers may not always be aware they have purchased an infected product.

“If in doubt, consumers are advised to contact the retailer they bought their cheese from to find out if the Baronet cheese they have purchased is from the batches affected and in the meantime to not eat the product,” the UKHSA said.

What are the symptoms of listeria?

Symptoms caused by listeriosis can be similar to flu and include high temperature, muscle ache or pain, chills, feeling or being sick, and diarrhoea.

In rare cases, the infection can be more severe, causing serious complications, such as meningitis.

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Tina Potter, head of incidents at FSA, said: “Due to the outbreak of listeria monocytgenes linked to Baronet semi-soft cheese, we are urging consumers who are vulnerable to listeria infection – including people who are pregnant and people with weakened immune systems – to ensure they follow the advice in the product recall notices, which details all of the products which may pose a risk.

“We are also asking people to make sure that elderly relatives who may have purchased the recalled items, and who are at particular risk, are aware of the recall and observe the advice.”

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