A child’s death from E. coli O157 infection has lead to a dispute over the recall of the implicated cheese products. The affected child was just one of 20 confirmed infection cases detected between the 2nd to 15th of July 2016, 11 of whom were treated in hospital.
Health Protection Scotland (HSP) investigations identified the Dunsyre blue cheese (made from unpasteurised milk) as the most likely cause of the outbreak however the company firmly disputed the evidence insisting that their cheeses are safe to eat based on their independent and external testing. HSP however found that of those affected, the majority had consumed the cheese product before falling unwell adding that despite their widespread investigation efforts, no other link could be established to the majority of cases of this incident.
As a result, Food Standards Scotland (FSS) have administered a ban on all cheese products made by the producer, Errington Cheese who are based in South-Lanarkshire.
