Now WAITROSE recalls artisan cheese feared to be contaminated with E. coli after outbreak sickened 30 Brits

Waitrose & Partners No 1 Farmhouse Kirkham’s Lancashire Cheese sold in 200g packs is being recalled over fears it could case food poisoning following the E. coli outbreak. This comes after four varieties of Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire cheese were urgently recalled and slapped with a ‘do not eat’ alert over contamination fears

A brand of cheese sold at Waitrose has been urgently recalled over fears it could be contaminated with E. coli. 

Safety chiefs have urged the public not to eat the artisan No.1 Kirkham’s Lancashire product, made using raw cow’s milk. 

It comes as 30 Britons have been sickened in an E. coli outbreak linked to the Kirkham family dairy.

The manufacturer, based in a village just outside Preston, has since recalled all of its products as a precaution. 

Some might have been gifted unknowingly in festive hampers, officials say.

Most E. coli strains are harmless, but the type behind the current outbreak can cause diarrhoea, vomiting, fever and stomach cramps.

In extremely serious cases, shiga toxin-producing E. coli (as it is known) can lead to kidney failure.

Waitrose’s recall affects only the No 1 Farmhouse Kirkham’s Lancashire Cheese, sold in 200g packs at £4.60.

All the affected items have a best-before date of between October 30, 2023 and January 16, 2024.  

Waitrose insisted the move was a ‘precaution’ and urged consumers to ‘thoroughly clean any surfaces, utensils and equipment the cheese may have touched’.

Customers are urged to take a photo of the packaging or the receipt to get a refund, and dispose of the cheese. 

The supermarket said: ‘We apologise that it has been necessary to recall this product and for the inconvenience caused.’ 

Symptoms vary from mild to bloody diarrhoea, the UK Health Security Agency says. Vomiting, fever and stomach cramps are other tell-tale signs. But, in severe cases, the bug can cause haemolytic uremic syndrome, a life-threatening condition that can lead to kidney failure

The alert comes after four varieties of Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire cheese were also urgently recalled and slapped with a ‘do not eat’ alert over contamination fears.

The joint Food Standards Agency (FSA) and UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) alert applied to Creamy Lancashire, Tasty Lancashire, Mature Lancashire and Smoked Lancashire varieties.

UKHSA bosses yesterday revealed that 30 confirmed cases have been recorded in this outbreak. 

All tested positive for a specific strain called 0145, feared to be lurking in the cheese.

STEC, or shiga toxin-producing E. coli, is spread by eating contaminated foods, such as raw leafy vegetables or undercooked meat.

The very infectious bacteria can also be spread by touching infected animals or their faeces and coming into contact with other people who are sick.

UKHSA chiefs said people should take extra care to both avoid infection, and if hit by the bug, passing it on to others.

Amy Douglas, UKHSA’s incident director for gastrointestinal infections and food safety, said: ‘There have been at least 30 confirmed cases of this specific outbreak strain of STEC in the UK.

‘If you have diarrhoea and vomiting, you can take steps to avoid passing it on to family and friends over the festive period.

‘Washing your hands with soap and warm water and using bleach-based products to clean surfaces will help stop infections from spreading. Don’t prepare food for others if you have symptoms or for 48 hours after symptoms stop.’ 

Mrs Kirkham’s said: ‘Whilst at this time, there has been no testing carried out on our products by the FSA to confirm any suspected risks, we feel it is our duty to recall our products.

‘We are working very closely with our local Environmental Health Officers and the Food Standards Agency to fully understand the situation, and whether our products have been correctly implicated.

‘This recall relates to new testing techniques designed to better identify potentially dangerous strains of Shiga Toxin producing E.coli. 

‘Unfortunately, these new testing techniques are not currently industry standard. As a result, despite rigorous and thorough testing throughout our production processes, the potential risk to product safety was not previously identified.’

The statement also said that due to many laboratories currently being closed over the festive period the business had been left in ‘limbo’.  

‘We will be suspending all orders until investigations are completed and we have some answers,’ it said.