Popular frozen veggies recalled after deaths
Several popular brands of frozen vegetables are being recalled in Woolworths, Aldi and IGA supermarkets due to fears of contamination by the deadly listeria bacteria, which killed six people in NSW and Victoria earlier this year.
Nine people across Europe have died from listeriosis after eating frozen corn.
The products being recalled are …
Woolworths: Essentials snap frozen mixed veg 1kg: carrots, peas, corn, green beans and potatoes. National distribution, best before 19 March 2020–24 April 2020.
Woolworths: Bell Farms Steam Veggie Carrot Corn and Broccoli 3pk 450g. National distribution, all stock.
IGA: Black & Gold Corn Kernels 500g bags.
IGA: Black & Gold Mixed Vegetables 1kg: Carrots, peas, beans & corn.
ALDI: Market Fare Peas, Carrots and Super Sweet Corn 1kg. ALDI: Market Fare Corn Kernels 1kg. QLD, VIC, WA and selected NSW stores - product of Hungary only.
ALDI: Market Fare Mixed Vegetables 1kg. QLD, NSW, ACT, WA - packed in Belgium from Imported and Belgian Ingredients (only). ALDI: Market Fare Quick Steam Carrot Broccoli and Cauliflower 450g. National distribution, only products with country of origin of Belgium, United Kingdom or Hungary, all other countries not affected.
Anyone in possession of these products should dispose of them or return them to the place of purchase for a refund.
Listeria can cause severe illness and death in susceptible people with weakened immune systems, particularly the elderly and pregnant women.
Symptoms can present anywhere between two and 30 days after exposure and include headaches, muscle aches, fever, nausea and vomiting. If the infection spreads to the nervous system it can cause a stiff neck, disorientation and convulsions.
Where does your frozen fruit and veg come from? CHOICE
New mandatory country of origin laws came into effect on 1 July following a transition period which gave manufacturers two years to comply. To see if the new standard makes it easier to find out where your food comes from, CHOICE checked the labels on a range of frozen fruit and veg in supermarket freezers. We found that while it's now much easier to identify the Australian ingredients in products, some companies still aren't using the new system.
Full details of Country of Origin labels compared by CHOICE: 2015 Vs NOW.