Chile Orders Recall of a Pork Pâté in Ñuble and Biobío over Listeria monocytogenes Detected by Health Authorities

The Regional Ministerial Health Secretariat (Seremi) of Ñuble, part of Chile's Ministry of Health (MINSAL), ordered on October 27, 2026 the withdrawal from the market of a batch of pork pâté after confirming the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in samples analyzed by the Seremi's own laboratory. The affected batch has a production date of October 16 and an expiration date of November 10, 2026.

The alert covers two regions, Ñuble and Biobío. According to the information released, the number of units distributed has not been specified and no illnesses associated with its consumption have been reported, and the measure applies to that batch, not to the producer's entire output.

Pâté is a ready-to-eat meat product that is eaten cold, spread, and kept refrigerated for weeks. Listeria monocytogenes tolerates cold and can multiply under refrigeration throughout shelf life, and it usually reaches the product after cooking, from filling and packaging surfaces and equipment, where it forms biofilms. Listeriosis can be severe in pregnant women, newborns, older adults and immunocompromised people, with an incubation period that can last several weeks.

In Chile, the Seremi de Salud offices frequently issue regional alerts for Listeria in cured meats and ready-to-eat meat products, which shows the weight of this pathogen in the processed meat industry. Prevention combines environmental monitoring of post-cooking areas with lot-by-lot testing of finished product. TAAG's Ampliora 2.3 kit detects Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes by real-time PCR in food and surfaces, and its datasheet includes the meat and ready-to-eat industry; a presumptive result must be confirmed with the reference method.