After a product recall from cheese factory Gloggnitz (Lower Austria) for kajmak, drinking yoghurt and cream cheese, investigations were still ongoing over the weekend. According to AGES, previous investigations related to eight Listeria diseases that have occurred in Vienna since 2020, three of which have been fatal, point to the operation in Lower Austria. The company dismissed the allegations: “The fault is not with us,” said Ivan Velicic of the Gloggnitz cheese factory on Saturday.
The company is monitored regularly, “the food inspector is with us once a month,” Velicic emphasized at the request of the APA. Own samples were unremarkable. Listeria was found in a restaurant in Vienna that offered cheese products.
Production in Gloggnitz continues, Velicic reports. The main customers are wholesalers, but the products are also marketed directly. The cheese factory produces dairy products such as spread (kajmak), cheese, yogurt and paprika according to a traditional Serbian recipe.
“Possible health hazard”
The cheese factory recalled kajmak, drinking yogurt and cream cheese on Friday, these products are not allowed to be consumed. “The reason is a potential health risk from Listeria monocytogenes contamination,” it was announced.
Routine cluster analyzes by the Agency for Health and Food Safety revealed that eight diseases that have occurred since 2020 can be traced back to an identical strain of Listeria. According to AGES, the source of the disease listeria has only now been identified. The food regulator of the federal state of Lower Austria has initiated measures: Products already supplied are now being recalled by the company, newly produced products may only be placed on the market after a negative report on Listeria has been obtained and after approval by the food regulator.
Measures up to and including company closure are possible
In Lower Austria, food surveillance is carried out by the Department of Veterinary Affairs and Food Control. “If deficiencies are found during inspections, the affected company must remedy the deficiencies found. Depending on the seriousness of the deficiencies, further checks or measures are carried out, which can lead to closure,” says department head Christina Riedl. The inspection intervals and the criteria in the supervision of food businesses are established by the Ministry of Health.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
