Tesco's routine test found Salmonella after tzatziki had reached stores

On 19 November 2024, Tesco recalled its own-brand Tzatziki Dip after routine testing found Salmonella. The recall covered 200g packs carrying the date code 24 November 2024.

Tesco told customers not to eat the dip and to return it to any store for a full refund, with no receipt required. It placed notices in stores and said the recall affected no other Tesco products. Food Manufacture reported no illnesses in connection with the batch.

Routine testing worked as a detection control, but it worked after the product had reached customers. The commercial failure sat before the result: a ready-to-eat chilled product passed through production and release with contamination still present.

The narrow batch and simple refund limited the response. They did not remove the underlying lesson that a test is not only a way to discover a problem; its place in the release sequence determines whether the problem stays inside the company or becomes a recall.

Tesco recalled one 200g batch and offered full refunds without receipts, but the test result came too late to prevent the product from reaching customers.

The affected batch reached stores before routine testing produced a result that could clear it for sale

A ready-to-eat dip left no cooking step for customers to use as a final control

The recall was narrow, but every sold pack moved the cost of detection from the production line to stores and customers

The refund process treated the consequence efficiently without changing the fact that release timing created the public event

Testing only prevents a recall when release waits for the result. Put the hold point before distribution, especially for ready-to-eat food.