'DO NOT EAT'
Tesco urgently recalls sandwich filler as it could cause violent illness – check your fridge today
Exactly what to do if you've bought an affected product and signs your food isn't safe to eat
TESCO has pulled a popular sandwich filling off shelves over fears it could make people violently unwell.
A labelling error means the product "could pose a risk to health", the supermarket chain said in a notice to customers.
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Tesco is recalling packs of Cooked Beef Slices after they were printed with an incorrect use-by date, an alert by the (FSA) warned.
The date printed on packs was a full month past what it should have been - January 24, 2025, instead of December 24, 2024.
It means that customers could get ill after unknowingly eating out of date food.
"The product listed above has been labelled with an incorrect ‘use-by’ which makes it unsafe to eat after the correct ‘use-by’ date of 24 December 2024," the FSA said.
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Tesco warned customers who have bought 10-packs of sliced beef with the above use-by date not to eat them.
"Instead, return to any Tesco store for a full refund," it said.
"No receipt is required."
Customers in need of further information were invited to contact Tesco's customer service team on 0800 505 555.
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You should never eat food past its use-by date, even if it looks and smells inoffensive.
The FSA warns: "Eating food past the use-by date presents a significant risk of foodborne illnesses to consumers."
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That's because some foods deteriorate over time in a way that can make them unsafe to consume.
Meat products especially - as well as ready to eat salads - can go bad quickly and make you very ill.
Bacteria such as listeria can also contaminate contaminate cooked and sliced meats.
"For food with a use-by date, the ‘sniff test’ is not an appropriate method for testing if food is safe to eat," the food watchdog warned.
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"Food can look and smell fine even after the use by date has passed, but the product will not be safe to eat.
"We can’t see or smell the bugs that can cause food poisoning."
Symptoms of food poisoning include:
- Feeling sick
- Diarrhoea
- Vomiting
- Stomach cramps
- A high temperature of 38C or above
- Feeling generally unwell – such as feeling tired or having aches and chills
They'll usually start within a few days of eating the food that caused the infection, but sometimes they can strike after just a few hours.
There are a few telltale signs that indicate your sliced deli meats have gone bad.
Colour tends to be a good indication something has spoiled - a pale grey, brown, or yellow hue mean it’s probably not safe to eat.
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Mould also indicates it's time to toss.
A sour or vinegary scent is also a bad sign, as a slimy, sticky film on the meat slices.
Use-by date warning
The Food Standards Agency provided the following guidance on adhering to use-by dates for food:
- Never eat food after the use-by date, even if it looks and smells ok
- It is safe to eat food until midnight on the use-by date shown on a product, but not after, unless the food has been cooked or frozen
- Food can be cooked until midnight on the use-by date listed on the product and then cooled and kept in the fridge.
- Food can be frozen before the use-by date, but it needs to be cooked within 24 hours of defrosting.
- Consumers must follow the storage instructions on the product, with specific reference to chilling foods
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