LUSAKA, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in Zambia have asked South African retail chain stores operating in the country to recall ready-to-eat meat products imported from South Africa following confirmation that the products were a source of listeria bacteria.

South African authorities confirmed over the weekend that the source of the listeriosis outbreak in that country has been linked to consumption of polony manufactured by a food processing company from Polokwane.

Emmanuel Mwamba, Zambia's High Commissioner to South Africa, said recall of all ready-to-eat meat products from retail stores would help contain the spread of the disease which has infected over 900 people resulting in about 180 deaths in that country, according to a statement released by the Zambia embassy in that country.

The chain stores, he said, should emulate measures put in place by the South African government to recall cold and meat products supplied by the firm.

Recently, the Zambian government requested the South African government to put precautionary health measures in place to ensure that all the country's food exports to Zambia were free of food borne disease.

South Africa is Zambia's second largest trading partner with a number of South African business entities operating in Zambia.