A Netherlands-based company is voluntarily recalling smoked salmon sold in more than a dozen U.S. states due to recent testing finding some contamination with the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes.
Foppen Seafood said in a recall notice shared on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) website on June 25 that the recall involves a specific lot of the company’s “toast-sized” Foppen Smoked Norwegian Salmon Slices.
The product affected by the recall was distributed to Kroger and Pay Less supermarkets across 15 states and is sold in 8.1-ounce packages with lot number “412” and UPC Code “8 40137 10000 2,” according to the announcement.
“Routine testing has revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in the specified lot,” the company stated, noting the lot number is printed on “the clear plastic window cut out on the front of the package.”
According to the alert, the salmon was sold at the two supermarket chains in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia.
The notice did not say whether any illnesses have been connected to the recalled fish.
NTD has reached out to both Foppen Seafood and the FDA for comment.
In a statement on the FDA’s website, Foppen Seafood said “immediate steps” were taken to address the recall it described as an “isolated incident.”
“At Foppen Seafood, we operate to the highest standards of health, safety, and quality control,” the company said. “We are collaborating closely with Kroger and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure a swift resolution.”
The company has advised those who’ve purchased the affected salmon to avoid consuming the product, urging them to either discard or return the fish for a full refund, reads the announcement.
People with concerns or questions can contact Foppen Seafood’s U.S. office over the phone anytime at 844-646-0928 or via email at [email protected].
Listeria
Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne bacteria that can cause illness with short-term symptoms like high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
While it is generally rare and mainly causes a mild infection in healthy individuals, it can result in severe symptoms for those with weakened immune systems, young children, the elderly, as well as pregnant women.
In pregnant women, it can potentially cause serious problems such as miscarriages and stillbirths and cause severe disease in the fetus or newborn baby.
In adults aged 65 and older and those with compromised immune systems, listeria can in some cases cause severe infections in the bloodstream, such as sepsis, or in the brain, which can cause meningitis or encephalitis.
According to the CDC, an estimated 1,600 people get a severe form of listeria—also known as listeriosis—each year, of which roughly 260 die.