Batches of ‘cook in bag’ whole chickens recalled from Tesco and Aldi over salmonella concern – The Irish Independent

Western Brand has issued a recall for specific batches of its cook in bag whole chicken products sold at Aldi and Tesco following the discovery of potential salmonella contamination.

The recall affects two specific product lines distributed across the retailers. At Aldi, the recall applies to the Butchers Selection Sage & Onion Cook in Bag Whole Chicken. Consumers are advised to check for products with a use-by date of May 13, 2026, and batch number 26124-640.

At Tesco, the recall targets the Tesco Roast in Bag Sage & Onion Stuffed Whole Irish Chicken. This recall covers two separate sets of batches: those with a use-by date of May 13, 2026, under batch number 26124-640, and those with a use-by date of May 14, 2026, under batch number 26125-206.

Regulatory Guidance and Retailer Action

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has issued guidance advising consumers not to eat any products from the implicated batches. In response to the contamination risk, retailers have been instructed to remove the implicated batches from sale and display recall notices at point-of-sale.

The FSAI provided detailed health warnings regarding salmonella infection, noting that symptoms typically manifest within 12 to 36 hours after infection, though the window can range from six to 72 hours.

Common symptoms associated with the infection include:

• Diarrhoea, which is the most common symptom
• Fever
• Headaches
• Abdominal cramps

According to the FSAI, the resulting illness typically lasts between four and seven days. The authority warned that symptoms can become severe enough to necessitate hospital treatment, particularly for high-risk populations. Those most susceptible to severe illness include infants, the elderly, and individuals with impaired immune systems.