Poland recalls Drobex smoked chicken from Biedronka over Listeria bacteria

Contamination detection and recall order

Polish sanitary authorities issued a public food warning after official testing detected bacteria in smoked chicken quarters sold across the Biedronka supermarket network. The Veterinary Inspection identified the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in one out of five laboratory samples taken from a specific production batch. Following the test results, the District Veterinary Officer in Bydgoszcz ordered the manufacturer to carry out a risk assessment, notify downstream commercial partners, and withdraw the non-compliant product from retail distribution. Unsold items stored at the manufacturing facility were immediately blocked and marked as unsafe food while sanitary inspectors opened an inquiry to assess the cause of the contamination.

As a result of official activities of the Veterinary Inspection, the presence of Listeria monocytogenes was detected in 1 out of 5 samples of the product indicated below.

Product details and consumer advice

The sanitary notice applies to a single production batch of smoked chicken quarter, sold under the product name Cwiartka wedzona z kurczaka. The affected batch carries lot number 2679401 and has an expiration date of 10 October 2026. The chicken was manufactured by poultry processing company Przedsiebiorstwo Drobiarskie Drobex Sp. z o.o., located on Przemyslowa Street in Bydgoszcz, and distributed by Jeronimo Martins Polska S.A., based in Kostrzyn. The Chief Sanitary Inspectorate advised customers not to consume the meat under any circumstances. Drobex instructed consumers who already bought the product to destroy it or return it to the place of purchase, promising full refunds for returns accompanied by original packaging to verify batch dates.

We would like to apologize for any inconvenience caused by this situation and assure that the welfare of our consumers and food safety are our absolute priorities.

Timeline of notifications and retailer response

The initial notification to the retailer took place several days before public alerts reached retail customers. Drobex informed Biedronka about the microbiological non-compliance and the withdrawal requirement on 23 September 2026, launching corrective measures at its production facilities. The Chief Sanitary Inspectorate published its official national warning on 29 September 2026. Drobex issued a customer notice dated 25 September 2026, which Biedronka published on its consumer communication portal on 30 September 2026. In response, Biedronka removed all remaining stock from store shelves and locked inventory inside its central distribution warehouses. Withdrawn goods are scheduled for disposal as category 2 animal by-product material under the supervision of state sanitary authorities.

Health risks and symptoms of listeriosis

Ingesting food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria can cause listeriosis, an infectious disease that poses severe health risks to vulnerable groups. Health authorities identified senior citizens, pregnant women, newborns, and immunocompromised individuals as facing the highest risk of severe complications. Symptoms associated with the infection include fever, abdominal pain, back pain, vomiting, diarrhea, flu-like symptoms, headache, muscle pain, and sore throat. The Chief Sanitary Inspectorate instructed any consumers experiencing symptoms after eating the contaminated chicken to seek medical attention immediately.