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French cheese made with raw cow's milk suspected to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes
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     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (March 13) urged the public not to consume a batch of cheese made with raw cow's milk, imported from France, as the product might have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a pathogen. The trade should also stop using or selling the product concerned immediately.

     Details of the product are as follows:

Product name: Coulommiers with raw milk
Place of origin: France
Weight: 350 grams
Best before date: March 30, 2015

     "The Centre received a notification from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) of the European Commission that upon testing, a sample of a batch of cheese was found to have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. According to the information provided by the RASFF, the French producer concerned has initiated a recall and some of the affected product had been imported into Hong Kong," a spokesman for the CFS said.

     The CFS has immediately contacted Repertoire Culinaire HK Limited, the importer concerned in Hong Kong as notified by the RASFF. According to the importer, the affected product had been disposed and had not entered the local market. However, for the sake of prudence, the CFS will alert the trade of the incident and urge them to stop using or selling the affected batch of product immediately should they have imported and still possess the product.

     "Listeria monocytogenes can be easily destroyed by cooking but can survive and multiply at refrigerator temperature. Most healthy individuals do not develop symptoms or only have mild symptoms like fever, muscle pain, headache, nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea when infected. However, severe complications such as septicemia, meningitis or even death may occur in newborns, elderly and those with a weaker immune system. Although infected pregnant women may just experience mild symptoms generally, the infection of Listeria monocytogenes may cause miscarriage, infant death, preterm birth, or severe infection in the newborns," the spokesman said.

     He urged members of the public to stop consuming the affected batch of product if they have purchased it, and to seek medical advice if they feel sick upon consumption.

     The CFS will continue to closely monitor the situation and take appropriate follow-up actions.

Ends/Friday, March 13, 2015
Issued at HKT 20:06

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