Shoppers in Northern Ireland are being urged to check their fridges after Marks and Spencer recalled its Truffle Gouda cheese over fears it could be contaminated with the deadly bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. The Food Standards Agency has warned that the infection, listeriosis, can in rare cases lead to severe complications including meningitis.
The affected cheese, sold in 150g packs with the product code 29424887 and a use-by date of October 9, 2026, is the subject of an urgent recall by M&S and the FSA. Customers are being told not to eat the batch and instead return it to their nearest M&S store for a full refund. In-store notices have been placed in all M&S stores in Northern Ireland that sell the Truffle Gouda.
“M&S recalls Truffle Gouda cheese in Northern Ireland over Listeria monocytogenes fears that can cause meningitis.”
“Please do not consume this product,” M&S said in a statement. “Any customers in possession of this product can return it to their nearest store where a full refund will be given. Only the displayed date codes are impacted. No other M&S products are affected.”
The recall was triggered by the potential presence of Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium that causes listeriosis – a serious foodborne infection. Unlike many other foodborne bacteria, Listeria is exceptionally resilient: it can survive and even multiply in cold environments like refrigerators, and resists salt and acidic conditions. People typically contract it by consuming contaminated food such as unpasteurised dairy products, soft cheeses, deli meats, hot dogs and improperly washed raw produce.
In healthy individuals, the immune system usually confines the infection to the gut, resulting in mild digestive upset. But Listeria has a dangerous ability to breach internal cellular barriers. If it penetrates the intestinal wall and enters the bloodstream, it can cross the blood-brain barrier – the protective shield meant to keep toxins and pathogens out of the central nervous system. Once across, it targets the meninges, the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, causing intense inflammation known as meningitis.
The FSA’s risk statement warned that symptoms caused by Listeria monocytogenes can be similar to flu, including high temperature, muscle ache or pain, chills, feeling or being sick and diarrhoea. However, in rare cases, the infection can be more severe, causing serious complications such as meningitis.
“Some people are more vulnerable to listeria infections, including those over 65 years of age, pregnant women and their unborn babies, babies less than one month old and people with weakened immune systems,” the FSA added. Pregnant women are at especially high risk because Listeria can easily cross the placental barrier, leading to severe complications or neonatal meningitis immediately after birth.
Anyone who has bought the affected M&S Truffle Gouda is urged not to eat it and to return it to the store for a full refund. The FSA spokesman said: “Do not eat it. Instead, return it to where you bought it from for a full refund.”