Food Alert - Five kinds of French goat cheese from raw milk contaminated with salmonella

Source of Information

Notification from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) of the European Commission

Food Product

Goat cheese from raw milk

 

1. Product name: LE PETIT FIANCE DES PYRENEES
      2. Product name: LA TOMME DE CHEVRE CABRIOULET
      3. Product name: LA TOMME DE CHEVRE ESPELETTE
      4. Product name: LE CABRI ARIEGOIS
      5. Product name: LE CARRE ARIEGOIS
Place of origin: France
Manufacture date: between March 10 and April 6, 2015
 

Reason For Issuing Alert

- The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) received a notification from the RASFF of the European Commission that a batch of PETIT FIANCE DES PYRENEES goat cheese from raw milk was found to have been contaminated with salmonella. For the sake of prudence, the French manufacturer concerned has initiated a recall of the above five kinds of goat cheese from raw milk manufactured between the aforesaid period. According to the information provided by the RASFF, a small volume of the affected products has been imported into Hong Kong.

- Salmonella infection may cause fever and gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. The effects on infants, young children, the elderly and patients with a weak immune system could be more severe and sometimes may even lead to death.

 

Action Taken by the Centre for Food Safety

- The CFS has contacted the importer concerned in Hong Kong as notified by the RASFF, Repertoire Culinaire Hong Kong Limited. According to the importer, a total of 24 pieces of LE PETIT FIANCE DES PYRENEES cheese (about 20 kilograms in total, with best before date of June 26, 2015) have been imported and upon notification of the incident by its supplier earlier, 17 pieces in stock have been disposed of. The importer has also informed the restaurants which have bought the affected product to stop using and dispose of the product in question. The CFS has also contacted the restaurants concerned and confirmed that all affected goat cheese from raw milk was disposed of.

 

Advice to the Trade

- Stop using or selling the products concerned immediately.

Advice to Consumers

- Not to consume the affected batch of the products concerned.

- Stop consuming the affected batch of the products if they were purchased, and seek medical advice if feeling sick upon consumption.