The Food Standards Agency has reported a recall of sandwiches, wraps and salads from Greencore Group because of possible contamination with E. Coli. This impacts food sold at Asda, Aldi, Amazon, Co-Op, Boots, Morrisons and Sainsburys. Other manufacturers are expected to also take precautionary action. 

The products are being recalled because of the possible presence of Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC).

Symptoms caused by STEC organisms include severe diarrhoea (including bloody diarrhoea), abdominal pain, and sometimes haemolytic uremic syndrome, (HUS), a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure and can be fatal.

According to the UK Health Security Agency, there have been 211 confirmed cases as of 11th June:

• 147 in England
• 27 in Wales
• 35 in Scotland
• 2 in Northern Ireland (for these cases, evidence suggests that they acquired their infection while visiting England)

Based on information from 160 cases to date, 42% were admitted to hospital.

Darren Whitby, Head of Incidents at the FSA, said: 

Sandwich manufacturers are taking a precautionary measure to recall various sandwiches, wraps, subs and rolls in response to findings from investigations by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) who are working to identify the cause of an ongoing outbreak caused by shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC).