The bacterium can cause listeriosis, an infection whose symptoms may resemble flu or involve gastrointestinal illness. In rare cases, it can lead to serious complications including meningitis, with pregnant women, infants, older adults and people with weakened immune systems among those considered more vulnerable.
Which M&S truffle Gouda products are affected by the recall
The affected M&S Food Truffle Gouda carries product code 29424887 and a best-before date of 9 October 2026. According to the Food Standards Agency, distribution of the recalled M&S product was limited to Northern Ireland, and customers who have bought it should not eat it.
Instead, consumers have been advised to return the cheese to the shop where it was purchased for a full refund. Point-of-sale notices are being displayed in stores selling the affected product to explain the reason for the recall and provide instructions to customers.
M&S said the recall had been issued due to the potential presence of Listeria and urged customers not to consume the affected cheese. The retailer also said that only the specified date codes were involved and that no other M&S products were affected.
According to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, Horgans is also recalling specific batches of Horgans Truffle Gouda alongside M&S Food Truffle Gouda because of the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. The affected Horgans batches have best-before dates of 2 October, 9 October and 24 October 2026, while the M&S product has a best-before date of 9 October 2026. The cheese was identified as originating in the Netherlands.
Why listeria can cause serious illness in vulnerable people
Listeria monocytogenes is the bacterium responsible for listeriosis. It can survive and even multiply in refrigerated conditions, making contaminated chilled foods a potential source of infection.
According to the Food Standards Agency, symptoms can include a high temperature, muscle aches or pain, chills, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. While infection may cause mild flu-like or gastrointestinal symptoms in healthy people, it can become more severe in vulnerable groups.
In rare cases, the infection may cause serious complications such as meningitis. People considered particularly vulnerable include those over the age of 65, pregnant women and their unborn babies, infants under one month old and people with weakened immune systems.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland states that the incubation period (the time between initial infection and the appearance of the first symptoms) averages three weeks but can range from three to 70 days.
Listeria can enter the bloodstream after crossing the intestinal wall and may cross the blood-brain barrier, the protective barrier designed to keep pathogens and toxins away from the central nervous system. If the bacterium reaches the meninges, the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, the resulting infection and inflammation is known as bacterial meningitis.
Customers with the affected M&S Truffle Gouda have been instructed not to consume it and to return it to their nearest store for a full refund. Retailers have also been asked to remove implicated batches from sale and display recall notices at the point of sale.
