EXCLUSIVE: Upton supermarket delicatessen closed after listeria found in food (From Wirral Globe)

EXCLUSIVE: Upton supermarket delicatessen closed after listeria found in food

4:44pm Friday 6th July 2012 in News Exclusive By Stephanie Cureton

A WIRRAL supermarket delicatessen was closed down after a potentially life-threatening disease was found.

Sainsbury’s store at Upton shut its deli counter after environmental health officers discovered listeria in foods.

Listeria, which is most common in soft cheeses, cold cuts of meat and pates, is a rare infection causing flu-like symptoms and vomiting.

Although it can be mild in most people, the disease is particularly dangerous among the elderly and pregnant women.

A Sainsbury’s spokesman said: “As soon as we were notified of the environmental health officers’ concern we took the decision to close our delicatessen as a precaution and began a thorough, deep clean.

“We will only reopen it when we are 100% confident that it is safe to do so."

According to Health Protection Agency, listeria is an unusual bacteria because it can grow at low temperatures, including refrigeration temperatures of below 5°C.

However, it is killed by cooking food thoroughly and by pasteurisation.

Rob Beresford, Wirral Council’s head of regulation, said: “We can confirm that our environmental health officers are working with the Health Protection Agency following the detection of listeria in the delicatessen counter at the Sainsbury’s store in Upton.”