The Czech State Veterinary Service (SVS) has ordered the withdrawal of a batch of ham from supermarket shelves and online retailers after tests confirmed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria that can cause serious illness.

The recall concerns the product “Roasted ham with reduced salt content, premium ham” (Grilovaná šunka se sníženým obsahem soli, šunka nejvyšší jakosti), produced by the company Beskydské uzeniny.

The affected batch was manufactured on August 18, 2025, with an expiration date of September 15, 2025, under batch number 250818. In total, more than 206 kilograms were produced.

According to SVS spokesman Petr Vorlíček, inspectors from the Moravian-Silesian Region collected samples directly from the factory. Laboratory analysis by the State Veterinary Institute in Olomouc confirmed the contamination.

A portion of the production, 15.5 kilograms, was immediately detained and destroyed at the company’s warehouse. However, around 190 kilograms were shipped to retail outlets across the country, including:

• Rohlík.cz and Košík.cz online stores
• Makro, Tesco, Globus, Hruška, and Tempo supermarket chains

Unsold packages are now being pulled from circulation. Customers who already purchased the ham are urged not to eat it and instead return it to the store.

Beskydské uzeniny must cover the cost of destroying all recalled products. Before production can resume, the company is required to conduct additional cleaning measures and provide proof of negative test results.

Why listeria poses a risk

Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an infection typically contracted through improperly processed or stored food.

In healthy adults, symptoms are usually mild, including fever, nausea, diarrhea, or headaches.

However, the infection can be dangerous for pregnant women, children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems, leading to severe complications such as blood poisoning or meningitis.

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