Popular brands of frozen vegetables are being recalled from supermarkets across Australia over fears of potential contamination by the deadly listeria bacteria, which killed six people in NSW and Victoria earlier this year. Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) on Monday issued an alert for a number of brands of vegetable products across Aldi, Woolworths and IGA stores. Some of the vegetables were imported from Europe, and the recall in Australia comes after recent recalls in the United Kingdom over the same contamination fears. Major brands affected Belgium-based frozen food distributor Greenyard Frozen NV is conducting the recall of its products. The following products sold in Australia have been included in the recall: Woolworths - Essentials snap frozen mixed veg 1kg: Carrots, peas, corn, green beans & potatoes – National distribution. Best before dates 19 MAR 2020 through to 24 APR 2020 - Essentials snap frozen mixed veg 1kg: Carrots, peas, corn, green beans & potatoes – National distribution. Best before dates 19 MAR 2020 through to 24 APR 2020 Woolworths - Bell Farms Steam Veggie Carrot Corn and Broccoli 3pk 450g – National distribution, all stock - Bell Farms Steam Veggie Carrot Corn and Broccoli 3pk 450g – National distribution, all stock IGA - Black & Gold Corn Kernels 500g – National distribution. Best before all dates - Black & Gold Corn Kernels 500g – National distribution. Best before all dates IGA - Black & Gold Mixed Vegetables 1kg: Carrots, peas, beans & corn – National distribution. Best before all dates - Black & Gold Mixed Vegetables 1kg: Carrots, peas, beans & corn – National distribution. Best before all dates ALDI - Market Fare Peas, Carrots and Super Sweet Corn 1kg – National distribution - Market Fare Peas, Carrots and Super Sweet Corn 1kg – National distribution ALDI - Market Fare Corn Kernels 1kg QLD, VIC, WA and select NSW stores. Product of Hungary (only) - Market Fare Corn Kernels 1kg QLD, VIC, WA and select NSW stores. Product of Hungary (only) ALDI - Market Fare Mixed Vegetables 1kg QLD, NSW, ACT, WA. Packed in Belgium from imported and Belgian ingredients (only) - Market Fare Mixed Vegetables 1kg QLD, NSW, ACT, WA. Packed in Belgium from imported and Belgian ingredients (only) ALDI - Market Fare Quick Steam Carrot Broccoli and Cauliflower 450g – National distribution - Market Fare Quick Steam Carrot Broccoli and Cauliflower 450g – National distribution ALDI - Market Fare Quick Steam Carrot Corn and Broccoli 450g – National distribution - Market Fare Quick Steam Carrot Corn and Broccoli 450g – National distribution ALDI - Only products with country of origin of Belgium, United Kingdom or Hungary. All other countries not affected What is listeriosis? Listeriosis is a serious and sometimes fatal bacterial infection Listeriosis is a serious and sometimes fatal bacterial infection Symptoms can include fever, headaches, cramps, aches and pains, nausea and diarrhoea Symptoms can include fever, headaches, cramps, aches and pains, nausea and diarrhoea It can be fatal in newborns, elderly people and people with a weakened immune system Earlier this year a listeria outbreak linked to contaminated rockmelons claimed six lives in NSW and Victoria. The peak body for Australian vegetable growers, AUSVEG, said the national recall involved imported products only, not locally grown produce. Chief executive officer James Whiteside said new labelling laws in Australia show a product's country of origin. Mr Whiteside downplayed any serious damage to local growers from the publicity surrounding the recall. "There may be a short-term impact but, by and large, the incidence in Australian-grown product [of] these sorts of outbreaks is very, very low," he said. "I don't think growers will be overly concerned and they have faith in the ability of the public to make informed decisions about the food that they buy." Recall follows deaths in the UK FSANZ spokeswoman Lorraine Haase said there had not been any evidence of infections in Australia, but a number of people had died in the United Kingdom. "This is a precautionary recall, to make sure people are aware and can remove products from their freezers," she said. The European Food Safety Authority said there had been 47 cases including nine deaths since an outbreak in Europe in 2015 linked to the affected vegetables. The same strains of the bacteria had been detected in frozen vegetables produced by the same Hungarian company in 2016, 2017 and 2018. This suggested the strains had persisted in the processing plant despite the cleaning and disinfection procedures that were carried out. According to Food Standards Australia, the affected products should be either returned to supermarkets for a refund or thrown in the bin.<doc-sep>Citizen Reporter Twitter users appear to be slightly confused, not by the recall of a potentially infected item, but by the idea that there is a thing like frozen, packaged rice. Twitter users seem to think frozen pap is next in line after Woolworths announced the recall of its Frozen Savoury Mix. The frozen rice mixture of sweetcorn, peas and fried onion appears to be questioned by Twitter judges and Jury. Why are #Woolworths sourcing frozen savoury rice from Belgium? — Masha. (@NaturallyMasha) July 11, 2018 Woolworths is being criticized by social media detectives who want to know why the food outlet was buying ‘frozen rice,’ from Europe. The food outlet has taken the rice mix sourced from Belgium off their shelves as a precautionary measure as its sweetcorn factory for their Frozen Savoury Mix product was implicated as a potential source of a listeria outbreak in Europe. The company said they took this issue very seriously and that this was a safety concern, with no other food products affected. Twitter was quick to first question why there was a thing like frozen rice? You guys buy frozen rice? ??????????? ?#Woolworths But cooking it doesn't even take more than 30 minute's. What's next frozen pap? — Murai Events (@Maurizee_Murai) July 11, 2018 Others questioned what would be next, perhaps frozen pap. Why does frozen rice exist? So people actually buy this? Is frozen pap next.? Mara why. #Woolworths pic.twitter.com/BQIMGp6RNB — Rorisang???? (@rorixm) July 11, 2018 Others believed they will never be too rich to boil their own rice. #Woolworths Frozen what ??????????? ?I will never be too rich to boil my own rice pic.twitter.com/ye7xNJq9Lp — IndigoChild ???? (@khethi_n_) July 11, 2018 woolworths rice FROZEN RICE !!!!! ???? I was never ready #Woolworths pic.twitter.com/JxyXrgTj3S — Chantelle (Freelancer????????) (@Chantelle_Jerel) July 11, 2018 #Woolworths frozen rice kento mang ruri ? People just like wasting money pic.twitter.com/rKkeVJODtx — Tumelo Mashiane (@toomellowmaSh) July 11, 2018 Woolworths said the Frozen Savoury Rice Mix product (6009173621740) sourced from the Greenyard Factory in a Hungarian factory was taken off their shelves and flagged, and that any attempt to purchase the products would be stopped. The rice mix is uncooked and frozen, and requires cooking before consumption. “We are voluntarily recalling this product as a precautionary measure, on the global instruction of the Hungarian Food Safety Agency.” The store said their suppliers managed and prevented microbial contamination of food, with strict protocols in place as part of their standard food safety’s management process. “To verify the safety of our food products, we implement additional monitoring where we independently have our food products tested randomly,” the store said, adding the testing included listeria checks. Customers who have purchased the products are urged to return the product to their local store for a full refund. Why does frozen rice exist? So people actually buy this? Is frozen pap next.? Mara why. #Woolworths pic.twitter.com/BQIMGp6RNB — Rorisang???? (@rorixm) July 11, 2018 #Woolworths Who on earth buys frozen rice anyway .le rata dilo letlabe lahwa pic.twitter.com/iCbbFHIHPN — Glass Table Girl ❌???? (@madame_tesfaye) July 11, 2018 #Woolworths I see this generation asking who buys frozen rice, the same generation that can't cook. pic.twitter.com/17JA4N2HED — Mohau (@StrangeMohau) July 11, 2018<doc-sep>Supermarkets across Australia have begun recalling bags of frozen vegetables amid fears they could contain deadly bacteria. Food Standards Australia New Zealand confirmed a precautionary recall is under way of about 10 frozen vegetable products due to the possible presence of listeria. Supermarkets including Woolworths, IGA and Aldi have pulled packets of sweetcorn and frozen vegetable products from shelves. Own-brand products for Aldi, including Market Fare frozen vegetables, are among those affected as well as bags of Essentials snap-frozen mixed vegetables and Bell Farms steam veggie carrot, corn and broccoli bags, which are sold at Woolworths.<doc-sep>
On Monday, July 9, Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) issued an official warning for customers to be mindful of a number of brands of vegetable products which are sold around the country at Aldi, Woolworths and IGA stores. Some of the products have been imported from Europe, and the recall in Australia has come about as a domino effect from the recalls issued in the UK due to the same contamination concerns. If you or anyone you know has purchased the below products, please dispose of them immediately. Woolworths - Essentials snap frozen mixed veg 1kg: Carrots, peas, corn, green beans & potatoes – National distribution. Best before dates 19 MAR 2020 through to 24 APR 2020 Woolworths - Bell Farms Steam Veggie Carrot Corn and Broccoli 3pk 450g – National distribution, all stock IGA - Black & Gold Corn Kernels 500g – National distribution. Best before all dates IGA - Black & Gold Mixed Vegetables 1kg: Carrots, peas, beans & corn – National distribution. Best before all dates ALDI - Market Fare Peas, Carrots and Super Sweet Corn 1kg – National distribution ALDI - Market Fare Corn Kernels 1kg QLD, VIC, WA and select NSW stores. Product of Hungary (only) ALDI - Market Fare Mixed Vegetables 1kg QLD, NSW, ACT, WA. Packed in Belgium from imported and Belgian ingredients (only) ALDI - Market Fare Quick Steam Carrot Broccoli and Cauliflower 450g – National distribution ALDI - Market Fare Quick Steam Carrot Corn and Broccoli 450g – National distribution ALDI - Only products with country of origin of Belgium, United Kingdom or Hungary. All other countries not affected