A food supplier has gone into liquidation with the loss of 125 jobs after it was the subject of a listeria investigation that ultimately cleared it of being the source of the outbreak.
The Food Standards Agency inquiry meant The Good Food Chain had to suspend production for weeks. The FSA this week said the Good Food Chain is no longer part of the ongoing investigation into the source of the listeria infection in hospitals but added that it remained part of the wider investigation into the outbreak and its cause as the business had produced and supplied sandwiches linked to the cases.
The Staffordshire-based company said on Friday it would cease trading due to the impact of the suspension, which was voluntarily enforced on 5 June.
The investigation was launched after five people were suspected to have died after eating pre-packaged sandwiches and salads produced by the company.
The Good Food Chain’s products were withdrawn from hospitals across the UK while the source of the infection was investigated.
The company’s owner and founder, Martyn Corfield, said: “I was absolutely devastated to hear that people had died after contracting listeriosis and have been thinking constantly about all those affected and their families over the last few weeks.
“We have been cooperating very closely with the investigating authorities, and while Wednesday’s confirmation that The Good Food Chain was not the source of the outbreak was welcome, it ultimately came too late in the day for us to get the business back on to a sustainable footing.
“I feel desperately sorry for our brilliant and hardworking staff who, through no fault of their own, now find themselves out of work. I would like to thank them for everything they have done for The Good Food Chain, and particularly for their loyalty and patience over the last few weeks.”
Listeria infection is rare, causing mild illness such as flu, and can be dangerous for pregnant women and babies.
