Charcuterie recalled in France over listeria fears

The affected products were sold in the month of November, mainly at Carrefour.

Although most were pulled from sale before they were able to be bought, “some of these products were sold before the recall measures”, the group said in a press release.

Affected products include packets of mortadella, prosciutto, and cooked ham. Anyone who finds they have any of the packs should “destroy them or bring them back to the supermarket”, to receive a refund, Carrefour said.

A Cristal helpline has been set up by the Carrefour customer service department for anyone seeking more information, on 09 69 39 7000.

Anyone who believes they may have eaten contaminated products should remain alert for signs of illness, as listeria contamination has a long incubation period, and can take eight weeks to appear.

Symptoms may include a fever, with or without headaches. An untreated listeria infection can cause severe complications such as septicemia, and problems of the nervous system. Pregnant women should be especially cautious, as it can cause a risk of miscarriage, premature birth, or a severe neonatal infection.

Elderly people and anyone with a lowered immune system should also remain especially alert.

The full list of affected products is:

• Mortadella Carrefour Bio et Carrefour Sélection. Packs of 70 grams. Bar codes: 3 560 070 551309. All batches and all use-by dates.
• Mortadella Bologna IGP Carrefour Sélection. Packs of 100 grams. Bar codes: 3 560 070 705 245. All batches and all use-by dates.
• Prosciutto cotto alle erbe Carrefour Sélection. Packs of 120 grams. Bar codes: 3 560 070 705 092. All batches and all use-by dates.
• Jambon cuit (cooked ham) supérieur découenné Carrefour bio. Packs of 100 grams. code-barres 3 560 070 699 940. All batches and all sell-by dates.
• Organic mortadella sold under the brand Fumagalli. Lot number 199298. Use-by date 09/12/2019. Also sold at Auchan and Casino supermarkets.