NEWS

Meat products under scrutiny

Greece’s food watchdog group (EFET) yesterday started conducting tests on meat goods produced by the firm Primo SA after one of its bacon products tested positive for the bacterium listeria, which is believed to have caused the death of a resident at an Athens retirement home. The tests are to determine whether the suspect bacon had become infected during its production or its storage at the home, EFET’s president Ioannis Vlemmas said. Meanwhile, the sliced smoked bacon product will be withdrawn from the market. In a statement yesterday, Primo said it was the first time any of its products had been alleged to be unsuitable for consumption. The deaths of five female residents at a retirement home in Kypseli between May 24 and June 10 coincided with an outbreak of gastroenteritis at the institution – but only one of the deaths could be attributed to listeria, according to the Center for Infectious Diseases, which is now monitoring the health of the home’s residents and staff.

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