Brescia. Several lots of iceberg lettuce in envelopes have been recalled due to the risk of bacterial contamination. The warnings concern 19 different brands. These products are sold in many supermarkets and consumers are asked to ‘return the product to the point of sale where it was purchased’. The recall was necessary because of the microbiological risk due to the presence of Listeria Monocytogenes.
The batch numbers – produced by the company Ortoromi Società Cooperativa Agricola, at its plant in Bellizzi (Salerno) – are available on the Ministry of Health website. These are the brands affected: Foglia verde Eurospin, Alifresh, Centrale del Latte, Ciro Amodio, Colline Verdi, Il Castello, Il mio Orto di Eurofresh, Latte Francia, Selex, Mi mordi, Natura è (Penny Market), Ortofresco Pulito, Ortoromi, Polenghi, Sigma, Tornese, Torre in Pietra, Tres Bon, Vivinatura.
What is listeriosis? Listeriosis, or the disease caused by the bacterium listeria, usually presents itself as gastroenteritis within a few hours of ingesting the contaminated food. In some rare cases it can lead to meningitis, encephalitis and septicaemia.
Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive pathogenic bacterium that is widespread in the environment, soil, water and vegetation. It is, it is explained on the website of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, a ‘bacterium that is very resistant to various environmental conditions, including those occurring in food production and processing’.