The Lithuanian retail giant Maxima has initiated an emergency recall for a specific line of frozen meat pancakes following a high-priority safety alert from the State Food and Veterinary Service (VMVT). The recall concerns “Extra line” frozen Žemaičių pancakes with meat filling (700g) after reports surfaced of potential biological contamination in the beef raw material used during production.
The retailer, which operates across the Baltic states, was notified by the supplier, Liūtukas ir Ko, UAB, that a batch of beef used in the product may have been contaminated with Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), more commonly known as Mad Cow Disease. While the retailer emphasizes that the immediate risk to consumers remains low, the severity of the potential contamination has triggered a total withdrawal of the affected batches from store shelves.
Significant Health Risks and Safety Measures
Titas Atraškevičius, a spokesperson for Maxima, confirmed that the company took immediate action upon receiving the supplier’s report. “We have received notification that the State Food and Veterinary Service identified biological origin pollution in the beef raw material used for this frozen product,” Atraškevičius stated. “According to the supplier, a case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) was potentially detected in the raw materials.”
BSE is a neurodegenerative disease that affects cattle and can be transmitted to humans through the consumption of contaminated meat products, potentially leading to variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD). Crucially, the retailer warned that standard domestic cooking methods are insufficient to mitigate this specific risk. Even when thermally processed, the product remains hazardous to health if the contamination is present. Consequently, shoppers are being told not only to avoid eating the pancakes themselves but also to ensure they are not fed to pets or livestock.
Comprehensive Refund Policy for Affected Shoppers
In response to the findings, Maxima has implemented a flexible refund policy to encourage the immediate return of the products. Customers who have purchased the “Extra line” pancakes with the specified best-before dates are urged to return them to any Maxima store. Notably, the retailer has waived the requirement for a physical receipt to facilitate the process as quickly as possible.
Refunds will be issued upon presentation of the product or through proof of purchase via loyalty cards (such as the “Ačiū” card), bank statements, or VAT invoices. The company has also opened a dedicated helpline and digital support channels to assist customers who may have already discarded the packaging but believe they purchased the contaminated items.
Identifying the Recalled Product Batches
The recall specifically targets the “Extra line” frozen Žemaičių pancakes (700g) with the barcode 2098766005085. The affected products bear the following best-before dates:
- 29.01.2027, 30.01.2027
- 03.02.2027, 05.02.2027, 13.02.2027, 19.02.2027, 20.02.2027, 26.02.2027, 27.02.2027
- 02.03.2027, 06.03.2027
This incident highlights the ongoing challenges within the European meat supply chain and the rigorous nature of EU food safety monitoring. Maxima has stated that it is temporarily suspending sales of this specific product line and is conducting further audits of the supplier’s facilities. For UK readers or expats who may have relatives in the region or who frequent Baltic import shops, this alert serves as a critical reminder of the cross-border nature of food safety and the importance of adhering to veterinary service warnings regarding BSE.
Source: ELTA
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