In Elche, a man was taken to hospital in serious condition: he has been diagnosed with meningitis caused by listeria.

In Elche, a man was taken to hospital in serious condition: he has been diagnosed with meningitis caused by listeria. It is believed that the infection was caused by poor-quality products.

Investigations are underway to determine whether the patient, hospitalised in Elche with listeria meningitis, consumed the contaminated product mentioned in the latest food alert.

The man remains in serious condition in the intensive care unit in Elche with listeria meningitis. Preliminary medical indications suggest that the poisoning occurred after consuming contaminated products.

The patient's symptoms appeared last week, when the health authorities of the Valencian Community had already notified the Spanish Food Safety and Nutrition Agency (AESAN) on 7 November of the presence of this dangerous bacterium (Listeria monocytogenes) in some food products. Public health specialists are working to determine the exact source of the detected case.

According to the Spanish Food Safety and Nutrition Agency (AESAN), up to seven products containing listeria were distributed in the province of Alicante, including chopped ham, turkey with truffles and pistachios, turkey mortadella with olives, turkey mortadella, chopped turkey and York ham.

Products containing listeria

This alert affects the following products: canned chopped ham, sliced, from the La Alacena brand — batch 252761 with an expiry date of 17 November 2025 and batch 252771 with an expiry date of 18 November 2025; and Serrano brand truffled turkey with pistachios — batch 252771, with an expiry date of 18 November 2025.

Also turkey mortadella with olives from the La Tabla brand – batches 252761, expiry date 17.11.2025 and 252771, expiry date 18.11.2025; and turkey mortadella from the same brand – batches 252761, expiry date 17.11.2025 and 252771, expiry date 18.11.2025.

The list continues with minced turkey from the La Tabla brand (batches 252761, expiry date 17.11.2025 and 252771, expiry date 18.11.2025); Maxi Turkey (batches 52761 and 252763, expiry date 17.11.2025); and Maxi York (252761 and 252763, expiry date 17 November 2025) from the same brand.

Recommendations from the Spanish Food Safety and Nutrition Agency (AESAN)

If you have consumed any of the products from the contaminated batches and are experiencing symptoms characteristic of listeriosis, such as vomiting, diarrhoea or fever, AESAN recommends seeking medical assistance.

The health agency also recommends that anyone who has any of the batches included in the alert at home should not consume them, and that if they have consumed these products and experience symptoms characteristic of listeriosis (vomiting, diarrhoea, fever), they should seek medical attention as soon as possible.