Major Spinach and Salad Recall Expanded Due to Listeria Detection

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland issued its third update to the recall today, 2 August 2025, adding more products and batch codes to the growing list of affected items. The recall now includes various spinach, mixed leaves, rocket, and lettuce products sold under multiple brand names.

Shoppers who have purchased salad products recently should check their fridges immediately. The affected products include Egan's Irish Baby Spinach, McCormack Family Farms branded items, SuperValu Spinach, and Tesco Mild Spinach, with best before dates ranging from 26 July to 10 August 2025.

Authorities have stressed that there is currently no evidence linking this recall to the separate listeriosis outbreak under investigation related to ready-to-heat meals. However, the detection of Listeria monocytogenes in these products poses its own health risk.

Consumers are advised not to eat any of the recalled products. Symptoms of Listeria infection can include mild flu-like symptoms or gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea. While most healthy adults experience only mild symptoms, the infection can be particularly dangerous for vulnerable groups including pregnant women, babies, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.

The incubation period for Listeria can be unusually long, averaging three weeks but potentially ranging from 3 to 70 days after consumption. This means symptoms may not appear immediately after eating contaminated products.

Retailers have been instructed to remove all affected products from their shelves and display recall notices at points of sale. Wholesalers and distributors must contact their affected customers and recall the implicated products. Caterers should not use any of the affected items.

The recalled products include various pack sizes of spinach (100g, 200g, 250g, 350g), mixed leaves (75g), rocket (75g), lettuce (200g), and energise mix (100g). Each product has specific batch codes and best before dates that consumers should check against their purchases.

The products are Irish in origin, according to the Food Safety Authority notification. This represents the third update to the original recall alert 2025.35, indicating an expanding scope as testing continues.

Anyone who believes they may have consumed any of the affected products and is experiencing symptoms should contact their GP, particularly if they belong to one of the vulnerable groups mentioned. In rare cases, Listeria infection can cause serious complications.