Three people have died and two have fallen seriously ill following an outbreak of listeria bacteria linked to chocolate desserts that were supplied to NHS hospitals. The new cases of the deadly poisoning bug are not confined to a specific area of the UK and instead have been reported across the country.
Officials believe the source of the outbreak came from Cool Light Deserts’ chocolate mousses and ice creams. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and Food Standards Agency (FSA) have launched a joint investigation into five recent cases of Listeria monocytogenes. Patients were identified from May to December 2024 with two in Yorkshire and Humber and one each in the North West, West Midlands and Wales. The median age of cases is 87 and they range from 68 to 89 years old.
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The affected patients are also said to have underlying health conditions and were hospitalised at the time of infection. Out of the five cases, three died, including one where Listeria monocytogenes was reported as the cause of death. The Mirror has contacted the FSA for comment.
All chilled desserts including ice cream, ice cream cream rolls, mousses and yoghurts supplied by the company to the NHS and care homes have now been recalled by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) as a precaution. Hospital staff have been urged to check ward fridges to ensure products are removed, according to MailOnline.
The FSA said the bacterium was detected in two different mousse flavours last month. Levels of listeria monocytogenes were below the regulatory threshold of 100 colony forming units per gram (CFU/g). However the FSA noted ‘severely immunocompromised patients in hospitals and other health care settings’ are ‘more likely to suffer severe symptoms from listeria infection’.
A representative from Cool Delight Desserts told Food Safety News the company was in ongoing discussions with the FSA. The company said it was currently unable to comment while investigations continue.
Tina Potter, Head of Incidents at the FSA said: âThe FSA, UKHSA, NHS, DHSC and local authorities are working together to identify the cause of an outbreak of listeria linked to desserts served in NHS Trusts and other health care settings. Listeria generally causes only mild illness, but some people are at a higher risk of serious infection including those who are pregnant, new-born babies, people with weakened immune systems and people over 65, and this risk increases with age.
“The desserts potentially linked to the reported illness are currently being removed from the supply chain. The food business that supplied the products are undertaking a product withdrawal, as a precaution. The cause of contamination is being investigated, and the local authority is working with the business to ensure appropriate action is taken to protect public health.â
Listeria causes a type of food poisoning called listeriosis, which can be particularly dangerous for people with a compromised immune system. In serious cases it can cause gastroenteritis, sepsis and even meningitis. Listeriosis is a rare infection which is usually caught from eating food containing the listeria bacteria.
The NHS says that for most people, listeriosis has no symptoms or only causes mild symptoms for a few days, such as:
However, some people are more at risk of developing severe listeriosis, which can cause serious issues including meningitis and even death. You can also catch listeriosis from someone else who has it, for example if you eat food they have handled without washing their hands.
It can also be caught from close contact with farm animals, particularly sheep and cows that are giving birth. A total of 177 cases of listeriosis were reported in England and Wales in 2023, according to the latest available data
There were 32 deaths recorded, 11 of which had listeriosis recorded as a cause of death on the death certificate. Seven outbreaks in total were investigated including those associated with smoked fish, semi-soft cheese and beef products.
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