Listeria sparks mussel recall

Sanford has issued a global recall of 280 tonnes of green lipped mussel meat that could contain the killer bacteria listeria.

The mussel meat has mainly been exported, to the United States, Canada, Spain, Hong Kong, Germany, Australia, Bulgaria, Greece, Japan, Malta and Britain.

But a limited amount has been sold to customers in the Nelson area and to two companies that further process the mussels, Sanford says.

Managing director Eric Barratt said listeria monocytogenes had been identified "at a low level" on the mussel meat's production line at the company's Havelock plant, in Marlborough.