Some batches of fresh packets of basil from Israel are the subject of a Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Health Protection Agency (HPA) investigation following the discovery of salmonella in samples.

The FSA advised people who may have bought the packets of fresh packets of basil from Asda, Sainsbury's and Somerfield stores not to eat them due to possible salmonella contamination.

“FSA advice is that people who have bought basil from Sainsbury's and Somerfield with a best-before date up to and including the May 28 should take it back to the store where they bought it. People who bought basil from Asda with a display-until date up to and including May 18 should also return it to the store they bought it from,” said the FSA in a statement.

Sainsbury's and Somerfield have informed the agency that they have withdrawn all their potentially affected basil stocks with a best-before date up to and including May 28. Asda has told the agency that the only affected batches sold through its stores are those with a display-until date up to and including May 18.

Asda told FPJ that its supplier is no longer sourcing from growers with open-field production in Israel to minimise contamination risk.

The incident came to light from a fresh herb survey being conducted by the HPA. The HPA has since found that one sample of fresh basil was infected with the same type of salmonella - salmonella Senftenberg - that it has been investigating in England & Wales since April. “It should be emphasised that at this stage we cannot confirm that there is a definite link between the rise in the number of human cases of salmonella Senftenberg and fresh basil but we will be carrying out further investigations,” said a spokeswoman for the HPA.

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