The government agency Rappel Conso is ringing the alarm bell. Duck merguez have been the subject of a massive recall because of the potential presence of salmonella. The consumption of these products is strongly discouraged, as these bacteria are potentially dangerous to health.
salmonellosis
Salmonellosis is a disease caused by enterobacteriaceae of the genus Salmonella. This bacterium is present in large quantities in the intestine of animals. Consumption of a raw or undercooked meat food product from an infected animal is the first form of Salmonella contact with humans.
The possibility of direct contamination from an already sick animal or contact with a healthy carrier is low. On the other hand, deli meats, eggs, milk or certain types of cheese from an infected animal carry a high risk of infection in humans.
The products subject to the recall
The duck merguez of the brand “les Thomasines”, which were sold in the majority of supermarkets in France between May 30 and June 8, are affected by this recall. Among the brands that have marketed this product, we can mention in particular Super U, Hyper U, Auchan, Leclerc or Carrefour Market.
The batches affected by this recall have the number on their packaging: 22 150 303 with the barcode 3700518702751. The expiry date is between the 12th and 14th of this month of June.
A black series
In recent months, recall campaigns have followed one another at a frantic pace. After the scandal caused by the frozen pizzas of the Buitoni brand suspected of being contaminated with the E bacteria, we also had that of Ferrero chocolates which caused a stir because of salmonella.
In addition to the risk of salmonella infection, there was also that of listeria which is responsible for the recall of certain products. We remember the recall campaign concerning the fillet of salmon tail sold by E. Leclerc, for example.
Salmonella: recall of potentially contaminated merguez https://t.co/qQE3HehuZF pic.twitter.com/uyhTbYJlo6
— SHE (@ELLEfrance) June 10, 2022
Should we consider an overhaul of the system?
These successive health scandals have revived the debate on the self-monitoring carried out by multinationals in the food industry.
Some NGOs want the control of food products to be entrusted to an independent body. Other players are campaigning for an in-depth overhaul of the quality control system at European level. This is the case of Foodwatch which is exasperated to see the giants of the sector multiply the scandals.
“What these scandals unfortunately reveal once again are the failures of the system”, regrets Karine Jacquemart, general manager of the consumer defense association.
This association has tried to make itself heard since 2017 and the scandal that affected the Lactalis group, with milk contaminated with salmonella.
“No lesson has been learned! The real controls by the health authorities of these factories hardly exist any more ”, deplores Quentin GUILLEMAIN, president of the association for the health of the children.
Attention: recall in store of merguez and salads ➡️ https://t.co/DxtprIrLTU #consumption #health #reminder @ReminderConso pic.twitter.com/w2cwU2w2ba
— Courier Picard (@CourrierPicard) June 10, 2022
A major health risk
It’s not just a digestive problem! The authorities have put up a reminder poster which strongly advises to avoid ingesting products which could contain salmonella. This bacterium causes food poisoning and affects the intestines.
Symptoms range from vomiting to diarrhea. A fever and headache will ensue after 6 to 72 hours after consuming products containing salmonella. The disease called salmonellosis could be fatal if complicated. It is better to pay attention to these symptoms, especially if it is a child or a pregnant woman. The elderly and those who are immunocompromised should also remain vigilant.
Those who have already consumed these products, even before the deadline, should immediately inform their doctor in case of discomfort. If these symptoms do not appear within seven days of consuming the product, there is nothing to be alarmed about. The recalled products listed above can be returned to the store and the customer will receive a refund. For more information, please contact 05 58 76 55 50.
