Supermarket chains Albert Heijn and Plus have recalled herring from their shelves amid fears they could be contaminated with listeria.

Albert Heijn asks customers to trawl through their refrigerators for Hollandse Nieuwe fillet with onions purchased between August 8 and August 13.

The country’s largest supermarket chain isn’t the sole grocery store recalling the fish. Plus says its brand of Hollandse Nieuwe fillets with onions with best before dates of August 16-18 could also be contaminated.

Anyone who bought the affected fish has been warned not to eat them. Listeria can pose serious health risks to people with weakened immune systems, including pregnant women, young children and the elderly.

Customers with fish from the contaminated batch should return them to the store for a full refund.

It is the latest in a series of listeria scares across northern Europe. In France two people died and 21 others fell ill after eating cheese contaminated with listeria, while another person in Belgium was diagnosed with listeriosis.

The outbreaks were traced to a food factory in central France, but the Dutch food regulator NVWA said there was no connection with the recall in the Netherlands.