Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that food products which are contaminated with listeria are more easily identified and prevented from being put on sale to the public.

A range of measures operate to minimise the risk of consumers eating food products contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

Legislation provides measures to be taken by food manufactures producing specific food products. This includes product safety testing. Local authorities also undertake sampling to detect non-compliant products. Risk assessment and risk management capabilities, including removal of contaminated food products from the market, also operate.

The Food Standards Agency also issues advice to those most at risk from Listeriosis on foods that due to their inherent risk and the probability of contamination with Listeria should be avoided.