Three people have died after fears they consumed a dessert supplied to NHS hospitals and care homes linked to a listeria outbreak.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and Food Standards Agency (FSA) are investigating five cases linked to the same strain of a listeria infection found in mousses served in hospital and care settings.
The cases were identified in people aged 68 to 89-years old from May to December 2024 and occurred across the country in North West England, Yorkshire and the Humber, the West Midlands and Wales.
All cases had underlying immunocompromising health conditions and were hospitalised.
One of the people who died has had their death attributed to listeria while other two were known to be infected with listeria at the time of their death.
The UKHSA is working to confirm the cause of the infection, but a match for the outbreak strain was found in a particular type of dessert during routine testing.
The FSA detected the bacteria last month in chocolate and vanilla and strawberry and vanilla flavoured mousse from Cool Delight Desserts.
Though testing found the levels of listeria to be below the regulatory legal threshold, NHS staff have been advised to remove all products from service and sales as a precaution.
Information on the West Midlands Care Association homepage said it had received an FSA alert about Cool Delight Desserts products for the recall of all ice cream, ice cream rolls, mousses and yoghurts.
It said these “products must all be withdrawn from service, and placed in quarantine while investigations are ongoing”.
Dr Gauri Godbole, Deputy Director for Gastrointestinal Infections, Food Safety and One Health at UKHSA, said: “We are investigating a small number of cases of listeria. The cause of the outbreak isn’t confirmed yet. However, our laboratory testing has identified a potential link to a particular type of dessert, which is not available from retailers but is served in some NHS Trusts.
“Working with the Food Standards Agency, on a precautionary basis, we have advised NHS Trusts and those providing care to vulnerable people to stop serving these desserts while investigations are underway.”
A representative from Cool Delight Desserts told publication Food Safety News that the company was in ongoing discussions.
Dr Godbole added: “Most people who are affected by listeriosis will have no symptoms or experience mild diarrhoea which subsides in a few days. Those who are more vulnerable like the severely immunocompromised or those with advanced aged can be at risk of severe illness such as meningitis and life-threatening sepsis. Listeriosis in pregnancy can cause very serious illness in mothers and their babies, and in babies up to 1 month old.”
Symptoms caused by listeriosis can be similar to flu, and include high temperature, muscle ache or pain, chills, feeling or being sick, and diarrhoea.
In rare cases, the infection can be more severe, causing serious complications, such as meningitis.
People most vulnerable to listeria infections should take extra care. This includes over-65s, pregnant women and their unborn babies, and babies less than one-month-old.
The Independent has contacted the FSA, NHS England and Cool Delight Desserts for a comment.
