The company, which is a subsidiary of Lactalis, recalled the product “as a precautionary measure” on Saturday August 3 after finding “evidence of the presence of salmonella”.

The batches affected are of Roquefort Société cheese, in portions of 25g and slices of 200g (and packaged in green, white, and red, as below), sold between July 9 and August 2.

The affected products show the lot numbers 3178B DDM 15/09/19, 3170B DDM 16/12/19, or 8171A DDM 13/09/19.

The products have now been taken off shelves, and anyone who has already bought any of the cheese is advised “not to eat it”, but to dispose of it instead.

Salmonella infection can cause severe gastrointestinal complaints, as well as high fever, in the 48 hours after consumption. The symptoms can be especially acute in young children, pregnant women, the elderly, or those with suppressed immune systems.