Tesco confirmed as “supermarket X” in UK hepatitis scare

24 Aug 2017 --- Tesco has now been named as the supermarket involved with a UK public health study into pork products which showed that the leading retailer had unintentionally sold sausages believed to be contaminated with the hepatitis E virus. Earlier this week, FoodIngredientsFirst reported how, according to Public Health England (PHE), researchers found that some people infected with the virus had been eating own-brand sausages from a retailer, known as “supermarket X.”

This prompted questions about the identification of the retailer. 

Several days later, PBH has now issued a statement confirming “supermarket x” as Tesco, stressing that it originally did not name the retailer because there is no blame attached to the supermarket. 

“The risk to public health in England from hepatitis E infection is low, it is usually a mild, self-limiting illness which most people will clear without any symptoms,” says Dr. Jenny Harries, Public Health England (PHE) in the statement. 

“Tesco was not named in our study because we attach no fault to the company.”

“This study was a statistical analysis that found an association between clinical hepatitis E and sausage and ham products rather than direct causation.”

“Most of the cases involved the G3-2 hepatitis E strain, which has not been found in UK pigs, and the appearance of this strain is likely to reflect complex animal health practices within Europe, rather than any processes used by the retailer.”

Dr. Harries adds how PHE understands that all sausages sold under the Tesco brand are exclusively sourced within the UK.

“The Food Standards Agency is working with government, industry bodies and scientists across Europe to better understand and address the risk of foodborne hepatitis E infection,” she adds. 

Meanwhile, Food Standards Agency advice says that the risk of acquiring hepatitis E virus from eating thoroughly cooked pork or pork products is low, so reminds consumers that all whole cuts of pork, pork products and offal should be thoroughly cooked until steaming hot throughout, the meat is no longer pink and juices run clear.