The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued an urgent recall for several pre-packaged, ready-to-eat fruit products across major UK supermarkets. The alert, issued on 23rd June 2026 was triggered after supplier PrepWorld detected Salmonella during routine testing of apples and kiwi fruit used in their snack packs and fruit pots.

As a food safety professional, business operator, or consumer, understanding the scope of this recall and the risks associated with Salmonella in fresh produce is critical.

Scope of the recall

The affected products include various ready-to-eat snack lines, fruit pots, and fruit kebabs sold at leading retailers, including Asda, Morrisons, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Waitrose.

Because these are fresh, perishable items, the specific products involved carry use-by or best-before dates of June 23 or June 24 2026.

A breakdown of the affected stock by retailer includes:

• Tesco: Four products removed, including 250g and 125g Melon, Kiwi, and Strawberry packs, 100g Kiwi Fruit Pots, and 290g Fruit Kebabs.
• Sainsbury’s: Three products removed, including 220g Melon, Kiwi, and Strawberry pots, 240g Orange and Kiwi packs, and 240g Pink Lady Apple and Grape packs.
• Marks & Spencer: Three products removed, featuring 90g Café Pink Lady Apple slices, 90g (FTG) Pink Lady Apple packs, and 225g Pink Lady Apple Slices.
• Asda: 220g Pink Lady Apple, Mango, Strawberry, and Blueberry fruit pot.
• Morrisons: 220g Kiwi, Melon, and Strawberries pack.
• Waitrose: 115g Pink Lady Apple and Grapes packs.

Retailers are actively displaying point-of-sale notices in all stores selling these items to instruct consumers on how to return them for a full refund.

Why fresh produce poses a Salmonella risk

While Salmonella is traditionally associated with raw poultry, eggs, and unpasteurised milk, fresh produce is an increasingly common vehicle for foodborne illnesses. Fruit can become contaminated at multiple stages of the supply chain, including:

• Agricultural runoff: Contaminated irrigation water or closeness to livestock.
• Cross-contamination: Improper handling during harvesting or transport.
• Processing risks: Pre-packaged fruit requires intensive handling, peeling, and slicing. If pathogen control or sanitation protocols fail at the processing plant level, bacteria can easily spread across large batches of ready-to-eat produce.

Health Risks and Symptoms

Salmonella infection (salmonellosis) typically affects patients as gastroenteritis. Symptoms include fever, diarrhoea, and abdominal cramps, usually developing within hours to a few days after exposure. While healthy adults often recover with rest and hydration, the FSA emphasizes that vulnerable demographics - such as children under five, individuals over 65, and immunocompromised people -are at a much higher risk of severe illness or hospitalisation.

Recommended action for food operators and consumers

1. Check your fridge: Check all domestic and commercial refrigerators for the affected PrepWorld products matching the specific date codes.
2. Do not consume or serve: Treat these items as high-risk biological hazards.
3. Return for refund: Affected items should be returned to the store of purchase. No receipt is required for a full refund.
4. Sanitise: Ensure any food preparation areas, utensils, or storage shelves that came into contact with the recalled packaging are thoroughly cleaned and sanitised to prevent cross-contamination.

Staying informed on the latest FSA / FSS (or appropriate authority) recalls is a vital part of maintaining robust Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems. To learn more about HACCP systems and safe food handling, take a look at The Safer Food Group's accessible, straightforward online training courses.