British man dies of listeria after eating cheese amid urgent recall

A British man has died after eating a soft cheese contaminated with listeria, as health chiefs ordered the food to be recalled as it contained “exceptionally high levels” of bacteria. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warned the public to avoid eating Baronet semi-soft cheese, produced by The Old Cheese Room in Wiltshire.

Three cases possibly linked to an outbreak have been identified by the UKHSA, including the one in which the person died.

The offending cheese, Baronet, is a pasteurised semi-soft cheese with a powerful smell and pink-orange rind. 

It’s sold in 1kg wheels, which deli counters can slice, and smaller individual rounds.

Listeriosis, the infection the cheese is feared to have caused, is known to cause flu-like symptoms, including high temperatures, muscle aches and pain, vomiting or a sickness feeling, chills and diarrhoea.

“Some foods carry a greater risk of listeria than others. These include soft cheeses, pate, smoked fish, chilled sliced meats and other chilled ready-to-eat products.”

Shoppers have been advised by the FSA to look out for 1kg packs of Baronet Soft Cheese with a best-before date of March 21, April 11, 12 and 18 2023.

UKHSA head of incidents and response Richard Elson said: “Listeriosis is a rare infection and most people will only experience mild symptoms such as abdominal pain or diarrhoea, which usually pass within a few days without the need for treatment.”