Late last December, a Greek fish company announced that it was recalling its cold smoked salmon – sold in the United States – for potential Listeria contamination. This recall marked the fifth multistate market withdrawal of smoked salmon for the same problem since the beginning of November, 2012. The product, manufactured by Delifish, S.A. of Thessaloniki, Greece, was sold in retail stores in the U.S., according to the recall announcement posted on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s website. The 11 states to which the product may have been distributed include California, Virginia, Ohio, Illinois, Florida, Georgia, Texas, Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. The fish may also have been sold in Puerto Rico. The problem was discovered after samples from multiple batches of the product tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, according to the recall notice. A String of Smoked Salmon Listeria Recalls This recall of smoked salmon for Listeria problems comes as the fifth in the past two months. On November 9, 2012, Brockton, Massachusetts-based Spence & Co. Ltd. recalled 1, 563 packs of it’s New York-style Nova Lox after Listeria was discovered during routine product testing. Two illnesses were suspected to be linked to the product. Then, ten days later, Michael Gourmet Delicacies of Miami, Florida recalled its Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon after the Florida Department of Agriculture discovered Listeria in a sample of the product. On December 17, about a month after that recall, Ocean Beauty Seafood LLC issued a voluntary recall of 371 cases of ready-to-eat cold smoked salmon after Listeria was found in multiple samples of product via internal testing. The affected product was imported from Chile and sold in 12 states in the U.S. Just six days after Ocean Beauty announced its recall, Sam’s Club informed customers that it was recalling smoked salmon sold at store locations in 42 states and Puerto Rico. Cold smoked salmon is considered a risky fish for certain demographics. “Cold smoked salmon…is risky for pregnant women, the frail elderly and others with compromised immune systems due to disease or medical therapy,” notes Colorado State University Extension in its article “Safety of Cold Smoked Salmon. “Many countries, including the U.S., recommend these groups avoid cold smoked fish.” The Delifish Recall Items subject to this latest recall were sold under the following brand names and market with the following codes:
– Black Bear of the Black Forest Smoked Salmon, sold in 1 lb. packages marked with UPC # 810230000493, including lots 249 thru 291
– Food Service Cold Smoked Salmon Trim, sold in 1 lb. packages, including lots 249 thru 291
– Einstein Darn Good, sold in 4 oz retail packages marked with UPC # 099892315200, including lots 249 thru 291
– Food Service Whole Smoked Side, sold in 3-5 lb. packs, including lots 249 thru 291
– Food Service Silver Source Smoked Salmon, sold in 2-3 lb. smoked fillets, including lots 249 thru 291
– Royal Fjord Smoked Toppers, sold in 6 oz. packs marked with UPC # 810230000561, including lots 249 thru 291
– Royal Fjord Sliced Smoked Salmon Loin, sold in 12-14 oz. packages, marked with item # 42925, including lotss 249 thru 291; and HEB 4 oz. smoked salmon packages marked with UPC 041220630417, including 249 thru 291.
“Listeria control..has a very high attention in our company with strict internal standards and routines. We therefore take this issue seriously and are taking these measures to assure that products supplied by Delifish are healthy and safe for our customers and consumers,” said the company in its recall announcement. No illnesses have been linked to this latest smoked salmon recall to date, according to the recall notice. Too see pictures of labels on the recalled products, go here.
