Investigations into a cluster of cases of Listeria monocytogenes (LM) underway by UKHSA, the Food Standards Agency and relevant authorities.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has recalled products supplied by Cool Delight Desserts as it investigates the listeria outbreak alongside the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Three people have died and two have received medical treatment after eating food contaminated with listeria at NHS hospitals.While we understand theListeria levels are within legal limits, this might pose a threat to vulnerable consumers.

Situation

Routine sampling of two different mousse flavours, both sampled on two different dates in February 2025 at an NHS hospital in the South West, England, as part of routine surveillance identified Listeria monocytogenes (LM). Both mousses were the same brand, Cool Delight, supplied by one manufacturer, B&A Susca Ltd, Pine Street, Off Bennett Street, Hyde, Cheshire, SK14 4TG.The isolated from the food products match clinical isolates linked to an ongoing outbreak. Investigations are ongoing if other desserts are affected, in the meantime, precautionary food safety action is advised by the FSA in agreement with the relevant Local Authorities.

Full details below…

Precautionary Food Safety Approach Advised

Food businesses are advised to remove products from service and sale, where food is served or sold, at establishments who provide care to consumers at greatest risk of more severe Listeriosis infection. NHS, care homes and other settings who may care for immunocompromised people, are also advised not to serve the affected mousse or any other desserts supplied by B&A Susca Ltd.Schools are out of scope, because these consumer groups are not routinely at risk from Listeriosis.

Cool Delight products are supplied via Brakes and Bidfood. More information can be found on consumer groups at greater risk here: Listeria | Food Standards Agency

The Product

Food Safety Actions Required for Wider Range of Desserts that those where LM was found.

Withdraw from food service and sale all desserts at health care settings, (regardless of the brand name), manufactured at B&A Susca Ltd.

Place on hold / quarantine desserts removed from service/sale, until further advice is provided by the Local Authority and the Food Standards Agency. Disposal is not required.

If UK manufacturers have distributed food outside the UK mainland, they should inform their Local Authority immediately, who are required to inform the FSA Incident team. Food Business Operators may inform the FSA directly, of the distribution, by completing an incident report form.

Important to note: Other Cool Delight brand dessert, not from this manufacturing sites are not affected.

If you are unsure if the Cool Delights products were manufactured by the site listed above, place the products on hold, and contact your supplier to confirm where they were manufactured.

Food Safety Approach

Why is action required:

• Health care settings serving foods are reminded that, as well as being care providers, when they serve food, they are also a food business operator. It is their responsibility to ensure the food that they supply to their consumer, (the patient), is safe to eat. In determining whether food is safe, regard must be given to the particular health and health sensitivities of the person consuming it.
• Although the levels of LM in the mousses were below maximum thresholds set out in food legislation for fit and healthy consumers, given the severely immunocompromised patients in hospitals and other health care settings, including pregnant women, their babies and babies under 1 month old are more likely to suffer severe symptoms from listeria infection.
• Five cases of this cluster were identified from May 2024 to December 2024 across three regions of England (North West, Yorkshire and Humber, West Midlands) and Wales. The cases aged between 68-89 years. All cases have underlying immunocompromising health conditions and were hospitalised. One cases’ death has recorded the cause of death as Listeria monocytogenes
• This is a coordinated national level response led by UKHSA, involving several organisations, including Food Standards Agency, across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, Food Standards Scotland in Scotland, Public Health Teams and Local Authorities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and Local Authorities.

Basis for Precautionary Food Safety Approach

The FSA undertook a risk assessment, (RA), which indicated:the risk to vulnerable consumers is deemed as medium risk, with medium uncertainty, and high severity of illness.the risk to the general population as being very low, though the uncertainly level is high.The severity of the clinical impact reported by UKHSA is serious/severeThere have been Microbiological Whole Genome Sequence, (WGS) matches to between the food isolated to 5 human isolates.The food isolates were manufactured on different days, and were two different flavours.Although the food isolates indicated low level of Listeria, (less than 20cfu/g of LM in a 25g sample), it has led to severe clinical outcomes to extremely vulnerable consumers.There has been low level environmental detections of Listeria monocytogenes within the manufacturing site since October 2024.Uncertainties exists on level of risk assessment that has been carried out by the relevant FBOs to ensure obligations outlined in Article 14, para 4,c of Assimilated EU Regulation No 178/2002 have been considered, to include vulnerable, very vulnerable, end-of-life, immunosuppressed, pregnant and the very young within the NHS and other health care settings environment.There is a complex multi-layered supply chain and multiple uncertainties which are being worked through by relevant authorities and businesses, to ensure food that may be unsafe for the category is not being served and/or sold at the health care settings

Date information provided – 17 March 2025
Tina Potter, Head of Incidents FSA foodincidents@food.gov.uk

Below is a list of BRAKES products known to be affected:

31947 Brakes Essentials Vanilla Ice Cream Tubs 48x100ml
31948 Brakes Essentials Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream Tubs 48x100ml
32978 Brakes Strawberry Flavoured Fruit Ice Cream 60x80 ml
50985 Brakes Vanilla Flavour Ice Cream in Individual Tubs 60x80ml
51009 Brakes Essentials Strawberry Flavour Ice Cream in Individual Tubs 60x80ml 
51010 Brakes Essentials Chocolate Flavoured Ice Cream in Individual Tubs 60x80ml
51295 Cooldelight Desserts Toffee Yoghurt Flavour Ice Cream Tubs 60x80ml 
51296 Cooldelight Raspberry Frozen Yoghurt Ice Cream Tubs 60x80ml 
52226 Brakes Strawberry Ripple Ice Cream Sponge Roll 1x3 
53105 Brakes Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream Sponge Roll 3x570g 
53318 Brakes Chocolate Ice Cream Sponge Roll 1x3 
53561 Cooldelight Strawberry Frozen Yoghurt Insulated Tubs 60x80ml 
119346 Cooldelight Fortified Vanilla Flavoured Ice Cream 60x120mls 
133789 Cooldelight Chocolate Frozen Mousse Tub 60x90ml 
133790 Cooldelight Strawberry Frozen Mousse Tub 60x90ml 
133791 Cooldelight Raspberry Ripple Frozen Mousse Tub 60x90ml
133792 Cooldelight Chocolate & Vanilla Swirled Frozen Mousse Tub 60x90ml
133793 Cooldelight Strawberry & Vanilla Frozen Mousse Tub 60x90ml

BIDFOOD has made direct contact with any members who have purchased the affected products.

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