Czech Republic Orders the Recall of a Packaged Russian Salad Over Listeria monocytogenes and Bans a Repeat-Offender Manufacturer from Producing Similar Foods

The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority (SZPI) published on October 3, 2026 a warning to consumers over Listeria monocytogenes in a Russian-style salad, known in the country as vlašský salad, made with potato, vegetables and mayonnaise. The finding occurred in an official check at the manufacturer's plant and the laboratory analysis confirmed the presence of the bacterium. The inspection flatly recommended that anyone who has the product at home not consume it under any circumstances.

The product was distributed in 140-gram, 300-gram and 1-kilogram formats to shops, butcher shops and a hypermarket in several localities in the west of the country. The SZPI warned that the salad from the large containers may have been sold by weight, without the manufacturer's original label, and asked those who bought it that way to verify the origin with the seller and, in the meantime, not to consume it. The inspection ordered the immediate withdrawal of the product in all formats and also of the foods that used it as a raw material.

In addition, the inspection ordered the manufacturer to halt the production of this and other similar foods. The ban will remain in force until the company demonstrates, with laboratory analyses carried out at its own expense, that the products and raw materials are safe. The SZPI noted that the manufacturer failed to meet the safety requirements of Regulation (EC) 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria, which establishes that Listeria monocytogenes must not exceed defined limits in ready-to-eat foods. An administrative procedure will be started to impose a fine.

This is a repeated finding: the same company had already been the subject of an SZPI warning in March 2026 for another product. A repeat offense indicates that the source of contamination may persist in the plant environment and not be an isolated episode. Prepared salads with mayonnaise are eaten cold and without cooking, which makes them a sensitive matrix. TAAG's Specio 4.1 kit detects Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., E. coli and S. aureus, and the ready-to-eat sector is among its industries; its validation does not include salads with mayonnaise, so it would be indirect support for verifying surfaces and raw materials.