Contaminated cheese is urgently recalled in all Tesco stores over bacteria that causes meningitis & pregnancy loss

Although listeria can contaminate a wide range of foods, it is more common in ready-to-eat foods.

Ready-to-eat foods are foods which are intended to be eaten without further preparation, such as heating or cooking.

Examples include:

• Cold pre-cooked meats – such as chicken  
• Deli meats – such as salami and cold cuts  
• Smoked and cured fish – including sushi  
• Cooked shellfish  
• Soft mould-ripened cheeses – such as camembert, brie, and blue-veined cheeses  
• Pâté  
• Unpasteurised milk, or products made from unpasteurised milk  
• Pre-prepared sandwiches and salads  
• Pre-cut fruits (for example, pre-packed melon slices)  

To reduce the risk of listeriosis, it’s important to:  

• Keep foods cold until you are ready to eat them - make sure your fridge temperature is set at 5°C or below.  
• Refrigerate foods as soon as possible after purchase   
• Eat ready-to-eat foods within four hours of removing them from the fridge   
• Always eat, cook or freeze foods by their use-by date. Foods after their use-by date may look and smell fine, but they could be unsafe and make you ill. You cannot see, smell or taste bacteria that causes foodborne illness.  
• Always follow the storage instructions, including those for opened foods, provided on the label. If there are no instructions, use opened foods within two days.   
• Keep raw and ready-to-eat foods separate to avoid cross-contamination  
• Follow the cooking instructions on packaging when applicable, and cook or reheat foods (including frozen vegetables) until they are steaming hot right through  
• Wash your hands regularly with soap and water before, during and after meal preparation