Skopje, 28 May 2024 (MIA) - The Food and Veterinary Agency said on Tuesday that it has not received notice from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) that a ham in 500 grams, with expiration date 31.05.2024, lot number 1413100, is being sold on the Macedonian market contaminated with the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes, which according to the media, is being recalled from markets around the region.

"As an institution responsible for food safety, the Food and Veterinary Agency is monitoring the situation and if necessary, in the interest of protecting public health, will timely and immediately take necessary measures and recall the product from the market," the Food and Veterinary Agency said in a press release.

Authorities in Serbia and Croatia said Tuesday that they are recalling the ham in 500g, with expiration date 31.05.2024, due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

"It is ham from the Slovenian meat processing company Celjske Mesnine, lot number 1413100, and wholesaler METRO Cash & Carri. The product does not comply with the Commission Regulation (EC) of 15, 2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs, and the notice refers exclusively to the specified product," the Serbian State Inspector said in a press release.

The bacterium Listeria monocytogenes causes the infection listeriosis, which can lead to premature labor or miscarriage during pregnancy. Listeriosis affects the central nervous system and can be found in the environment, or in the intestines of mammals (except humans), birds, crabs, and spiders.

Listeria monocytogenes has the ability to grow at fairly low storage temperatures (+4°C), due to the strong resistance and high concentration of sodium chloride, listeria can survive various processes used in food processing.

One of the main ways this bacterium is transmitted to humans from the environment through contamination. ssh/ba/

Photo: MIA archive