Listeria update: What was sold and where

Listeria-infected products were sold in the supermarket chains Superbest and Eurospar, as well as in some Spar stores, the association of grocers De Samvirkende Købmænd has announced.

 

The Statens Serum Institut (SSI) and the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (Fødevarestyrelsen) warned on Tuesday that listeria found in the popular deli meat rullepølse contributed to 12 deaths nationwide. 

 

There have been 20 people infected with listeria according to SSI. The 12 who died were weak and ill beforehand, so SSI could not say with certainty if the listeria led directly to their deaths. 

 

The outbreak was traced to the Hedehusene company Jørn A. Rullepølser A/S, which has been shut down. 

 

A total of 30 products, including variations of rullepølse, salami and hot dogs have been recalled. A full list of affected products can be seen here. 

 

In the municipality of Esbjerg, public officials fear that a council-run food service delivered rullepølse infected with the listeria bacteria to around 35 individuals, including the elderly who are more susceptible to infection. The meat was also served at some council-run care centres. 

 

Officials there are contracting every single person who may have been served the infected meat. 

 

The executive director of Jørn A. Rullepølser A/S, Palle Andersen, told Metroxpress last year that he couldn’t guarantee that his company lived up to cleanliness standards.

 

“I cannot guarantee that the employee who is supposed to disinfect every day has actually done it, because it could be that his grandmother died the day before,” Andersen told the newspaper. 

 

“Fødevarestyrelsen’s rules are as idiotic as all hell,” he said. 

 

Andersen was speaking to Metroxpress in connection with the discovery that Jørn A. Rullepølser was serving beef contaminated with pork.