FSAI

Message:

Fromagerie Alpine is recalling all batches of the below Saint-Marcellin unpasteurised cheeses due to the possible presence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O26. Point-of-sale recall notices will be displayed in retailers that sold the affected batches advising consumers not to eat the affected cheese.

Nature Of Danger:

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), also known as Verocytotoxigenic E. coli (VTEC), are a specific group of E. coli.  While most E. coli are harmless and live in the intestines of healthy humans, STEC produce a powerful toxin which can cause severe illness. Symptoms include abdominal cramps and diarrhoea which is sometimes bloody. Usually there is little or no fever, and patients recover within 5 to 10 days.  In some people however, particularly children under 5 years of age and the elderly, the infection can cause a complication called haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), in which the red blood cells are destroyed and the kidneys can stop working properly.  The time between the initial infection and the first symptoms appearing is typically between 3 and 4 days but can range between 1 and 8 days.