Tiger Brands is holding a press briefing after the company ’s processed meat products were identified as a source of the deadly listeriosis outbreak.
Shares in Tiger Brands and RCL Foods fell on Monday as both firms suspended processed meat production at their plants.
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said on Sunday the outbreak had killed 180 people since January 2017 and that it had been traced to meat called “polony” from a Tiger Brands factory in Polokwane. He said a plant owned by RCL Foods was being investigated.
The minister also told South Africans not to consume ready-to-eat processed meat across the board due to the risk of cross-contamination.
The announcement prompted a frenzied clearing and cleaning of the shelves by local supermarkets chains Shoprite, Pick n Pay, Spar and Woolworths, which also urged consumers to return the meats for refunds.
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