Tesco is urgently recalling its Finest Mozzarella Pearls and Pesto Orzo Salad after fears the pre-packed pasta salad may be contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), a strain that can cause severe illness and, in rare cases, fatal kidney failure. The Food Standards Agency has issued a "do not eat" warning, and the recall matters as it is the latest in a run of similar alerts amid a marked rise in STEC infections linked to fresh produce in supermarket food.

Affected batches carry use-by dates of 25, 26 and 27 August 2026; customers are told not to eat the product and can return it to any Tesco store for a full refund without a receipt. STEC symptoms include severe stomach pain, bloody diarrhoea, vomiting and fever, and can in rare cases lead to haemolytic uraemic syndrome, particularly dangerous for children under five. The recall follows a 26% rise in STEC cases in England previously tied to lettuce in sandwiches and wraps, and comes days after chicken wraps sold at Iceland were also pulled over the same bacteria; no other Tesco products are affected.