Three individuals have died following a listeria outbreak linked to desserts supplied to NHS hospitals and care homes by Cool Delight Desserts, a brand based in Ramsbottom. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed that five cases of listeriosis were reported between May and December of last year, with the affected individuals, aged between 68 and 89, all having underlying health conditions and being hospitalised at the time. Listeriosis can cause symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea, body aches, and a high fever.
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The UKHSA and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) have been investigating the outbreak, which has been traced to a specific type of dessert produced by Cool Delight Desserts. While the listeria levels found in the desserts were below the legal threshold for healthy individuals, the product was supplied to vulnerable groups in hospitals and care homes. As a result, a recall of the affected products, including ice cream, ice cream rolls, mousses, and yoghurts, has been issued as a precautionary measure.
Dr Gauri Godbole, deputy director for gastrointestinal infections at the UKHSA, stated that while most people affected by listeriosis experience only mild symptoms, the elderly, pregnant women, newborns, and the immunocompromised are at greater risk of severe complications such as meningitis and life-threatening sepsis. She confirmed that investigations are ongoing, but a link between the outbreak and the Ramsbottom-based desserts has been identified. NHS trusts and care providers have been advised to halt serving these desserts until further investigations are completed.
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Tina Potter, head of incidents at the FSA, emphasised the risk to vulnerable individuals, noting that the affected desserts are being removed from the supply chain. The local authority, in collaboration with Cool Delight Desserts, is taking necessary action to safeguard public health, and the company has been working to withdraw the products from the market. The investigation into the cause of the contamination is still ongoing.
