The affected product has been sold in Countdown, New World, Pak'nSave and Fresh Choice supermarkets throughout the North Island. It has a use-by date of January 26, 2016 and its batch number is 335322.
2. How many packs have been affected?
Premier Beehive NZ general manager Dene McKay said staff had retrieved most of the more than 13,000 ham packs in the affected batch. However, 131 packets remain outstanding.
He said the recall was a precautionary measure after tests found an issue in one batch.
"As part of our quality control, we conduct regular checks for listeria on equipment and product samples," Mr McKay said.
"The initial test came back negative and, on that basis, we released the products. Subsequent tests detected a problem with one of the batches."
The MPI recall notice said the recall does not affect any other Premier Beehive NZ Limited product. The product is also not exported.
3. Which supermarkets stocked the affected product?
Foodstuffs said it removed the ham product from the shelves of a number of New World and Pak'nSave supermarkets in the lower North Island yesterday.
Spokeswoman Antoinette Laird said: "Foodstuffs North Island is following normal recall procedures and is working with the supplier. This recall has affected several New World and Pak'nSave stores in the lower North Island, all of whom have been notified and the product has been removed from shelves."
A Countdown spokeswoman confirmed staff from Premier Beehive have visited its stores to remove the affected batch. The ham was available in 15 Countdown stores. They were:
• Broadway
• Crofton Downs
• Fairy Springs
• Johnsonville
• Karori
• Kilbirnie
• Lower Hutt
• Newtown
• Petone
• Porirua
• Queensgate
• Spotswood
• The Valley
• Upper Hutt
• Waikanae
The recall also affected the following two FreshChoice supermarkets:
• Fresh Choice Half Moon Bay
• Fresh Choice Greytown
4. What can/should I do if I have one of the affected ham packs?
MPI said the affected ham should not be eaten and customers are urged to return it to their retailer for a full refund.
There have been no reports of illness, but MPI said anyone concerned about their health should seek medical advice.
For further information, contact Premier Beehive NZ: 0800-506-701.
5. What is listeria?
According to the Ministry of Health (MoH) website, listeria is a food-borne bacteria that can make you sick. The Ministry for Primary Industries' (MPI) Food Smart website says Listeria monocytogenes is a bacteria that can cause listeriosis.
Listeria is widely found in nature and can be transferred through food.
Ready-to-eat products, such as deli meats and salads, soft cheeses and foods with a long refrigerated shelf life are often associated with the bacteria.
Once food is contaminated, the bacteria multiply quickly, even at recommended refrigeration temperatures (2-4C).
"MPI says there are about 25 cases of listeria in New Zealand annually.
"Of those about 20 per cent are associated with pregnancy or newborn babies. Between five and seven per cent of people affected by the disease die a year on average. The number of cases recorded here is similar to that found in countries with similar health status."
6. What are the symptoms of listeriosis?
The MoH says symptoms are: mild fever, headache, aches and pains, feeling sick or nauseous, vomiting or diarrhoea and stomach cramps.
Although listeriosis usually causes few or no symptoms in healthy adults and children, some people are at risk of severe disease from it.
7. Who is most at risk?
The MoH says the people most at risk include pregnant women and their unborn babies, newborns, people with weakened immune systems - including cancer patients, diabetics, people taking immunosuppressive treatments, people with liver or kidney disease - and frail older people.
8. What are the dangers of listeriosis?
"Listeriosis is particularly dangerous for pregnant women," the MoH says.
"It can cause miscarriage, premature labour or stillbirth, and can cause infection in their baby.
"Some people get very sick with listeriosis," it says.
"It can cause fever, meningitis, delirium and coma. In some cases, it can be fatal."
9. Why ham?
Ham is one of the listed items under the listeria section on the MoH website that is said to be unsafe for people at risk of severe infection.
According to the MoH, other food products more likely to be contaminated by listeria are:
• Uncooked, smoked or ready-to-eat fish or seafood, including oysters, prawns, smoked ready-to-eat fish, sashimi or sushi
• Pate, hummus-based dips and spreads
• Cold pre-cooked chicken
• Ham and all other chilled pre-cooked meat products including chicken, salami and other fermented or dried sausages
• Pre-prepared or stored salads (including fruit salads) and coleslaws
• Raw (unpasteurised) milk and any food that contains unpasteurised milk
• Soft-serve ice creams
• Soft, semi-soft or surface-ripened soft cheese (eg, brie, camembert, feta, ricotta, roquefort).
The MoH said the foods on this list are safe to eat if heated thoroughly to steaming hot (ie, above 72C) where appropriate.
10. What can I do to prevent listeria contamination?
The MoH and MPI Food Smart website has provided a list of simple precautions:
• Follow good food hygiene practices, such as washing and drying hands before preparing food and after handling or preparing raw foods.
• Eat freshly cooked or freshly prepared foods.
• Wash raw fruit and vegetables very well before eating.
• Cook foods thoroughly to kill any listeria bacteria.
• Refrigerate leftovers immediately and do not keep for more than two days.
• Reheat to steaming hot (over 72C) before eating.
• Avoid eating high-risk foods.
Listeria is one of the few food bacteria that can grow on food even if it's in the fridge. It can even withstand freezing.
