Food Safety Recall Bulletin — July 2026
The past month has seen food safety authorities on both sides of the Atlantic and across the Southern Hemisphere respond to a familiar cluster of hazards, with Listeria monocytogenes once again dominating the picture. Ready-to-eat cooked meats, soft and semi-soft cheeses, and cold-smoked fish featured heavily across the FDA, CFIA, FSA, RASFF, FSAI and FSANZ, alongside a smaller number of Salmonella and undeclared-allergen actions. Many of these recalls share a common thread that will be familiar to food producers: they concern products where the safety of the finished item depends on the reliability of a thermal process, the integrity of the cold chain, or both. This bulletin summarises the most relevant recalls and alerts from the past 30 days, organised by regulatory body, and closes with a brief reflection on what they mean for producers operating a HACCP-based food safety system.
United States — FDA and FSIS
The most significant US action of the period was the ongoing investigation into a multi-state, multi-year outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes linked to requeson, a soft cheese similar to ricotta. On 5 June 2026, Nelson & Isa Lacteos, LLC of Bay Shore, New York, a distributor of Clover Hill Dairy cheese products, recalled requeson sold at retail in New York, and on 18 June 2026 Clover Hill Dairy expanded the recall to include all of its cheese products. Soft, high-moisture cheeses of this type are a recurring vehicle for Listeria, which can establish itself in the post-process environment and grow under refrigeration. Full details are published on the FDA's outbreak investigation page for soft cheese (June 2026).
On the meat and poultry side, the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a public health alert on 25 June 2026 for ready-to-eat chicken Caesar wrap products over concerns of possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. FSIS also progressed a series of actions relating to meat and poultry products containing recalled FDA-regulated dairy ingredients associated with possible Salmonella contamination. Current US meat and poultry actions are listed on the FSIS recalls and public health alerts page, and the wider FDA picture is maintained at FDA Recalls, Market Withdrawals & Safety Alerts.
Canada — CFIA
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency issued a steady stream of recalls through June and into July. On 10 July 2026 the CFIA recalled Charcuterie Charlevoisienne and Joe Smoked Meat brand meat products because of Listeria monocytogenes — again, ready-to-eat cured and smoked meats where post-processing handling and cold storage are critical control points. On 30 June 2026 the agency recalled certain Five Star Shellfish oysters (including Malpeque and Conway Pearls varieties harvested in Prince Edward Island) sold in Quebec, Ontario and Nova Scotia over possible Salmonella contamination.
The CFIA also handled several allergen and quality actions during the period, including a national recall of Gummy Gainz protein candy on 4 July 2026 over undeclared milk. All Canadian notices, with affected batch and distribution detail, are published on the Government of Canada recalls and safety alerts database.
United Kingdom — FSA
The UK Food Standards Agency recorded several relevant actions. On 19 June 2026 the Traditional Cheese Company recalled French Bries because of contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, affecting 160g and 170g packs (the latter sold under the Dunnes Stores brand) in Northern Ireland; the full notice is available as FSA-PRIN-28-2026. The FSA also published allergen actions during the month, including Krispy Kreme's recall of doughnut products on 21 June 2026 because of undeclared hazelnuts (nuts). The Agency's alerts also reflected Listeria findings in cold-smoked salmon and cured beef and E. coli findings in UK shellfish beds. The full, current list is maintained at FSA News and alerts. Note that the FSA moved its public website to GOV.UK on 25 June 2026.
European Union — RASFF
The EU's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed continued to log microbiological notifications dominated by contaminated cheese and by cured, dried meats. Listeria monocytogenes was reported in cold-smoked salmon of French origin and in cheese, while Salmonella spp. and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) drove notifications relating to salami and raw dried meats, alongside Salmonella in imported poultry products. A notable multi-country event during the period was an outbreak of Salmonella Stanley ST2045 linked to flavoured instant noodles, which grew to 106 confirmed cases across 13 EU/EEA countries and the UK. Individual notifications can be searched via the RASFF Window public portal.
Ireland — FSAI
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland was particularly active on ready-to-eat cooked meats. At the end of June and into early July 2026, the FSAI recalled several batches of cooked ham from the Brady Family, Tesco Finest and Lidl Deluxe ranges (all produced by O'Brien Fine Foods) over the possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes; the affected products carried a use-by date of 16 July 2026 and the recall is documented in the FSAI's food alerts. On 4 July 2026 Tesco Finest Scottish Cherrywood Smoked Salmon was recalled for Listeria monocytogenes, and the FSAI also issued a recall for Butchers Selection Irish Turkey Burgers (Mediterranean Style) over the presence of Salmonella. The FSAI additionally mirrored the French brie Listeria recall referenced above, published as a recall of specific batches of various French brie products.
Australia and New Zealand — FSANZ
Food Standards Australia New Zealand coordinated recalls consistent with its longer-term pattern, in which Listeria monocytogenes is the leading microbial cause. During the period a range of imported pasteurised cow's- and goat's-milk cheeses produced by the French manufacturer Chavegrand was recalled over potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination, with no linked illnesses reported in Australia at the time of the recall. FSANZ also coordinated an undeclared-allergen recall of a soybean snack range (undeclared egg). Current alerts are published on the FSANZ food recall alerts page.
What This Means for Food Producers
Read together, the month's recalls point less to exotic new hazards than to the enduring importance of getting the fundamentals right. The products involved — ready-to-eat cooked and cured meats, soft and semi-soft cheeses, cold-smoked fish — are precisely those where safety rests on a validated thermal process delivering the intended lethality, followed by an unbroken cold chain that keeps any surviving or post-process contaminants from multiplying to hazardous levels. Where Listeria monocytogenes is concerned, refrigeration temperature and consistency matter especially, because the organism grows slowly even at chill temperatures.
None of this is new to food safety professionals, and no single control or product prevents contamination on its own. A thorough, well-validated HACCP plan — one that identifies the relevant critical control points and incorporates reliable time-temperature verification at cooking, cooling and cold storage — remains the most effective defence against the kinds of failures behind these recalls. Temperature Indicators Ltd products are designed to form part of such a protocol, supporting process validation and cold chain monitoring as one element within a broader, properly documented food safety system.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Listeria monocytogenes feature in so many recalls?
Listeria is widespread in food-production environments, tolerates salt and refrigeration, and can grow slowly at chill temperatures. Ready-to-eat products that are handled after cooking — cooked meats, soft cheeses, cold-smoked fish — are particularly susceptible because there is no further cooking step to reduce contamination before consumption.
How is temperature monitoring relevant to these recalls?
Many recalled products depend on a validated cook to achieve microbial lethality and on a reliable cold chain thereafter to prevent growth. Verifying that cooking, cooling and storage temperatures are actually achieved and maintained is a core part of demonstrating that critical control points are under control.
What is the difference between a recall for pathogens and one for undeclared allergens?
Pathogen recalls address microbiological contamination such as Listeria, Salmonella or E. coli. Allergen recalls address the presence of an allergen — such as milk, egg or nuts — that is not declared on the label, which can result from labelling errors or from process cross-contact. Both can be serious, but the underlying controls differ.
Where can I read the original recall notices?
Each authority publishes its own notices: the FDA and FSIS in the United States, the CFIA in Canada, the FSA in the UK, RASFF in the EU, the FSAI in Ireland, and FSANZ in Australia and New Zealand. The relevant pages are linked throughout this bulletin.
Does a recall always mean people became ill?
No. Many recalls are precautionary, issued after routine testing or an internal check identifies a potential hazard, and are made before any illness is reported. Acting early is a sign of a functioning food safety system rather than evidence of widespread harm.
About Temperature Indicators Ltd
Temperature Indicators Ltd is a global service provider specialising in temperature-sensitive labels, tags, and indicators for cold chain monitoring, process validation, and regulatory compliance. With 35 years of experience and warehouse stock in both the UK (Manchester) and the US (near Santa Barbara, California), we supply food manufacturers, pharmaceutical distributors, sterile services departments, and logistics providers worldwide with the temperature monitoring solutions they need to maintain compliance. Contact us for expert guidance on temperature monitoring for your application.
Legal Disclaimer
The information provided in this bulletin is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, regulatory, or compliance advice. Regulatory requirements are subject to change and may vary by jurisdiction, product type, and business size. Organisations are responsible for ensuring their compliance with all applicable regulations. Temperature Indicators Ltd has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information presented based on publicly available sources as of the date of publication. This bulletin should not be relied upon as a substitute for independent legal or regulatory advice.
- Temperature Indicators Staff
