Over 20 cheeses are being recalled from shelves over presence of bacteria that causes severe health risks

OVER 20 different types of cheeses are being recalled as a result of a serious health risk.

Just days after it was announced that one flavour of the Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese was being recalled, more have been added to the list.

The Wicklow Gold Beechwood Smoked Irish Cheddar was being recalled due to the possible presence of dangerous bacteria.

Now, more than 20 versions of Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese is on the list.

All 20 are believed to have the presence of dangerous bacteria that can cause serious illness.

They are sold in supermarkets around the country, including SuperValu, Spar and Dunnes Stores.

The Food Safety Authority (FSA) is urging shoppers who picked up the cheese not to eat it.

The full list of implicated batches are:

• Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese Wicklow Blue Brie
• Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese Wicklow Bán Brie
• Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese Wicklow Gold Beechwood Smoked Mild Cheddar
• Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese Wicklow Gold Tomato & Herb Cheddar Style Cheese
• Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese Wicklow Gold Cheddar Style Cheese
• Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese Wicklow Gold Nettle & Chive Cheddar Style Cheese
• Dunnes Stores Tomato and Herb Wicklow Cheddar
• Dunnes Stores Simply Better Wicklow Bán Double Cream Brie
• Dunnes Stores Simply Better Irish Farmhouse Baking Wicklow Bán
• Dunnes Stores Delicate & Smooth Wicklow Blue Brie
• Dunnes Stores Nettle & Chive Wicklow Cheddar
• Dunnes Stores Beechwood Smoked Wicklow Cheddar
• Dunnes Stores Simply Better Farmhouse Irish Cheese Selection
• Dunnes Stores Simply Better Simply Better Neven Maguire Cheese Selection
• Spar Select Ballykilty Baking Brie
• St. Killian Carrigbyrne Farmhouse Camembert
• St. Killian Carrigbyrne Farmhouse Baking Camembert
• Wicklow St. Kevin Brie
• SuperValu Signature Tastes Wicklow Bán Brie
• Sheridans Cheesemongers Wicklow Ban Cheese
• Sheridans Cheesemongers Drunken Saint Cheese

All pack sizes, batch codes and expiry dates are impacted.

They are being recalled due to the possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes. 

Symptoms of infection caused by the bacteria can include mild flu-like symptoms, or gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.

In rare cases, the infection can be more severe and cause serious complications.

Pregnant women, babies, and people with weakened immune systems, including the elderly are more vulnerable to the infection.

The time between the initial infection and the first symptoms appearing is on average 3 weeks, but can range between 3 and 70 days.

Wholesalers and distributors are being requested to contact affected customers, recall the cheeses and provide a point-of-sale recall notice. 

Caterers are being warned not to use the implicated cheeses. 

Retailers are being asked to remove the cheeses from shelves and display recall notices at point-of-sale.