Another sandwich meat producer has been hit by the listeria outbreak that has now claimed 13 lives in Denmark. The food product authorities Fødevarestyrelsen ordered the Delika plant near Hammel to close its doors – for 24 hours – so that cutting equipment and other equipment that came into contact with contaminated ‘rullepølse’ sandwich meat, which originated from Jørn A Rullepølser in Hedehusene near Copenhagen, can be thoroughly cleaned.
“Delika Hammel wants to protect our customers and eliminate any possible risk,” the company said in a statement.
A wide range of Delika products were pulled from the shelves of shops last week. The meats were cut on machines that had been in contact with the infected products from Jørn A Rullepølser, and authorities feared cross-contamination could have occurred.
Another Dane was killed by the listeria outbreak yesterday, taking the death toll up to 13, while 24 people overall have been infected with the bacterium.
More cases expected
Fødevarestyrelsen expects that more cases will appear in the weeks to come.
The incubation time for listeriosis is between one and 70 days (usually seven to 21 days), and the long incubation times often make it difficult to locate the infection source.
READ MORE: Minister blasts food authorities over listeria handling
Zealand has been hit hardest by the outbreak. The combined Zealand and Copenhagen regions account for half of the patients affected so far.
