Don't eat this chicken and pasta salad
Asda is urgently recalling its chicken and pasta salad, warning that there's a risk of the deadly food poisoning bug salmonella.
The recall concerns plastic tubs of the salad, weighing 400g and printed with the use-by date of 23 April 2016. The product's barcode is 505478110346.
Asda says there haven't been any reports of illness, but that salmonella had been detected in one of its samples, and it warns customers not to eat the product.
No other other Asda products have been found to be affected, and the company has launched a full investigation to discover the origin of the bug.
Signs have been displayed in all Asda stores offering customers a refund - a receipt won't be required. Customers with any queries should phone customer relations on 0800 952 0101.
Salmonella causes diarrhoea and stomach cramps, often with vomiting and fever. It tends to come on between 12 and 72 hours after the contaminated food is eaten.
Most people recover without needing any treatment, but it can be fatal in the young, the old, and in people with weak immune systems. It can also cause miscarriage or premature labour in pregnant women.
The salmonella bug is generally found in raw foods of animal origin, such as meat and unpasteurised dairy products. However, it's also been found in fruits and vegetables.
It's generally associated in most people's minds with eggs and raw chicken. However, producers of both have tightened up their act in recent years.
Recently, indeed, the Food Standards Agency said it was considering changing its advice to consumers to say that it's perfectly safe to eat runny eggs. It's already said that eggs are still fine for two days after their sell-by date.
However, the bug can be found in some surprising places. Earlier this year, for example, Aldi was forced to withdraw its Choceur Treasures chocolates after salmonella was found.
Last month, it was detected in batches of spices from major wholesale supplier TRS, and one hygiene expert has even warned that it can lurk in dirty carpets.
