Bay Cuisine Ltd and its staff were "very concerned" about traces of listeria being found in some of their products, joint managing director Simon Wills said in a statement last night.
Recall notices had been placed in newspapers across the country to advise the public that the products listed had the potential to be contaminated with listeria, and should not be consumed.
The Hawke's Bay based manufacturer and wholesaler operates from Onekawa, Napier. As well as Hawke's Bay Hospital, it supplies a range of restaurants, clubs, schools, rest homes, wineries, bakeries and large food manufacturers throughout New Zealand. They supply many types of meat, as well as a range of small goods.
"As a precautionary measure, we felt it best to recall all products in the market until our investigations are complete. We are working closely with the staff of the Ministry for Primary Industries responsible for food safety in New Zealand to identify the source of contamination.
"Currently, we are waiting on the results of an independent review of our food preparation procedures."