Waitrose salmon recalled in listeria alert

The supermarket chain has cleared the own-brand products from its shelves and suspended all shipments from the supplier.

The bug, which causes listeriosis, a potentially fatal illness, was detected during production-line tests.

A Waitrose spokesman said last night: "We took action as soon as we were told about these test results."

He added that hundreds of packets of the affected fish had already been sold. The Food Standards Agency said anyone eating the products was at risk.

A spokesman said: "As with a lot of these infections, older people and pregnant women are a bit more vulnerable to illness from consuming them."

At least 25 people have died this year of listeriosis, including one baby.

Symptoms, which can take 90 days to develop, include headaches, fever, muscle pain and chills. Some victims also have an upset stomach.

The bug, which is unusual in being able to survive in fridges, is most often found in ready meals, soft cheese, pate, cold meats, prepared sandwiches and smoked fish.

The affected products are Waitrose 115g Scottish smoked salmon parcels and Waitrose 100g Scottish poached salmon terrines.

Packets with date codes up to August 28 are being recalled with full refunds on offer at stores. The supermarket chain and its Scottish supplier, Macrae, say they have launched a "thorough investigation".

The focus is on the company's £10million factory which opened in May in Livingston, West Lothian. The firm is part of the Young's seafood group.

Listeria can be found in raw food, soil, vegetation, sewage and mammal, bird and fish droppings.

As much as 5 per cent of the population carries the disease without becoming ill.

The FSA and the Health Protection Agency are investigating why listeria poisoning, which kills a quarter of its victims, appears to be becoming more common.

Seventy-nine sufferers required hospital care in the first 21 weeks of this year, up 80 per cent on the same period in 2006. Nine were pregnant women.