New Zealand Food Safety - NZFS - is advising the public to return or dispose of specific batches of various ready-to-eat salads as they may contain listeria bacteria.

South Island Fresh Foods Ltd is recalling specific varieties and batches of Bells, Bush Road, Country Foods and Pams brands ready-to-eat salads following routine testing which found the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in some products.

Information about specific brands, product names, batches, dates and names of stores selling the product is available on the MPI website.

Bay of Plenty and Coromandel New World supermarkets that received the ready-to-eat salads include Brookfield, Kawerau, Mount Maunganui, Opotiki, Te Puke, Rototuna, Waihi, Whakatane, Whangamata, Whitianga.

Pak'n Save supermarkets in the two regions that also received the ready-to-eat salads include Cameron Road, Papamoa, Rotorua, Tauriko, and Whakatane.

Affected Four Square outlets include Coromandel, Ngongotaha, Ohope Beach, Papamoa Beach, Te Puke, Te Puna, Waihi Beach, The Lakes, and Western Heights.

Fresh Choice supermarkets that received the ready-to-eat salads include Omokoroa, Papamoa and Te Ngae.

NZFS Food Compliance Manager Nigel Hughes says customers who have bought these products should not consume them. The products are available from in-store delis and are also pre-packaged.

"Listeria bacteria can make people sick (listeriosis). If you think you have eaten contaminated product and are concerned for your health, please seek medical attention.

"Listeriosis infection can be serious among vulnerable groups such as pregnant women and their unborn babies, newborn babies, people with weakened immune systems and elderly people.

"For those in the high-risk groups, listeriosis typically has an incubation period of two to three weeks or longer before symptoms appear.

"Healthy adults are likely to experience only mild infection, causing mild diarrhoea and flu-like symptoms.

"If you have consumed any of these products and have any concerns about your health, seek medical advice," says Nigel.

There are no known reports of illness.

The product has not been exported.

The ready-to-eat salads being recalled are:

Bush Road brand Creamy Chicken Salad with Basil 400g with a use by date of 27JAN21 – 06FEB21

Bush Road brand Egg Supreme (200g) with a use by date of 31JAN21 – 07FEB21

Bush Road brand Potato Salad (250g) with a use by date of 31JAN21 – 07FEB21

Bush Road brand Potato Salad (400g) with a use by date of 31JAN21 – 10FEB21

Pams brand Potato Salad (300g) with a use by date of 31JAN21 – 10FEB21

Pams brand Smoked Chicken Pasta Salad (230g) with a use by date of 27JAN21 – 05FEB21

Unbranded Potato Salad (400g) and (600g) with a use by date of 31JAN21 – 07FEB21

Unbranded Potato Salad (200g) with a use by date of 08FEB21 – 09FEB21

Sold in-stores from deli counter:

Bells brand Potato Salad sold between 18 – 29 January 2021

Bush Road Creamy Chicken Salad with Basil sold between 18 – 29 January 2021

Bush Road brand Egg Supreme sold between 18 – 29 January 2021

Country Foods brand Egg and Celery sold between 18 – 29 January 2021

Country Foods brand Broccolini and Bacon sold between 18 – 29 January 2021